Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after someone who is under 16 and has mobility needs (difficulties getting around), care needs, or both.
Household income is not taken into account when deciding on eligibility. Many families are missing out on this important benefit because of misunderstandings about who can claim and how the benefit works.
This podcast from Contact UK challenges the myths around DLA eligibility and is well worth a listen (press the play button to begin):
DLA is made up of two parts and your child might qualify for one or both of these.
Care component DLA
This is for children who need more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability. The rate awarded depends on the level of looking after they need:
Mobility component DLA
This is for children who have difficulty getting about. There are two rates:
With some exceptions, the child must have had these needs for a period of three months before applying, and there is an expectation that they will still have them in six months.
To claim DLA for a child you need to be their parent or look after them as if you’re their parent.
For more details, visit the gov.uk DLA for children overview or read the DLA for children easy-read guide
To apply, visit Gov.uk to download a claim form and notes on how to complete it (you'll need to print the form, complete it and send it back).
If you can't print the form yourself, you can phone the Disability Living Allowance helpline (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) and ask for a printed form:
Telephone: 0800 121 4600
Text phone: 0800 121 4523
Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 121 4600
Video relay service for British Sign Language (BSL) users
www.contact.org.uk have some helpful tips on how to complete an application for DLA, including some step-by-step videos.
You can also find help locally by visiting our Welfare Advice page.
Is your child over 16? They will need to apply for Personal Independence Payment instead.