Overview
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:
- is under 16
- has difficulties walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability
They will need to meet all the eligibility requirements.
The DLA rate is between £29.20 and £187.45 a week and depends on the level of help the child needs.
Eligibility
You’ll usually be able to get Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children if all of the following apply. The child must:
- be under 16 – anyone over 16 must apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- need extra looking after or have walking difficulties
- be living in England or Wales when you claim (unless you’re eligible to claim from abroad)
If your child is nearing the end of life (for example, due to a life-limiting illness) you might be able to get DLA for children more quickly and at a higher rate.
You can claim DLA for children if you’re in or out of work.
Your child’s disability or health condition
Your child’s disability or health condition must mean at least one of the following apply:
- they need much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability
- they have difficulty getting about
They must have had these difficulties for at least 3 months and expect them to last for at least 6 months.
Care component
The rate the child gets depends on the level of looking after they need, for example:
- lowest rate – help for some of the day
- middle rate – frequent help or continual supervision during the day, supervision at night or someone to help while they’re on dialysis
- highest rate – help or supervision throughout both day and night, or they’re nearing the end of life (for example, because of a life-limiting illness)
Mobility component
The rate the child gets depends on the level of help they need getting about, for example:
- lowest rate – they can walk but need help and or supervision when outdoors
- highest rate – they cannot walk, can only walk a short distance without severe discomfort, could become very ill if they try to walk or they’re blind or severely sight impaired
There are also age limits to receiving the mobility component:
- lowest rate – the child must be 5 years or over
- highest rate – the child must be 3 years or over
If your child is under these ages and you claim DLA for them, you should be sent a claim pack 6 months before they turn 3 and 6 months before they turn 5. You can then apply for the mobility component if you think they’re eligible for it.
How to claim
To claim DLA for a child you need to be their parent or look after them as if you’re their parent. This includes step-parents, guardians, grandparents, foster-parents or older brothers or sisters.
There’s a different way to claim if your child is nearing the end of life (for example, because of a life-limiting illness).
If your child currently lives in England or Wales you can apply by either:
- printing off and filling in the DLA claim form. Ashford Borough Citizens Advice can help with form filling if you feel that you are unable to complete the form yourself
- phoning the Disability Living Allowance helpline on 0800 121 4600 and asking for a printed form
When you’ll be paid
DLA can be paid from the start of your claim. It cannot be backdated. Your claim will start on the date the form is received or the date you call the enquiry line (if you return the claim pack within 6 weeks).
After you’ve applied, you’ll get a letter within 3 weeks confirming your application. Once the decision has been made, you’ll get another letter that will tell you when you’ll get your first payment.
If you disagree with a decision
You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.