Disability Living Allowance

Who is eligible? | When can I claim? | How do I apply?

Disability Living Allowance (often called just 'DLA') is the main government-issued tax-free benefit for children (and adults, of course) who need extra help with personal care or mobility problems. DLA is not means-tested.

Mumsnet Talk special needs forums

The DLA has two components:

Care component - if your child needs extra care or supervision (compared to a mainstream child)
Mobility component - if your child needs help getting around (the higher rate of the mobility component can be used towards Motability schemes to help hire or buy a car or similar transport)

Some people may be entitled to both components; others will be entitled to just one. The components are paid at different rates, depending on how the disability affects your child's (and your) life.

Of course, all children need a lot of supervision and care, but when it comes to DLA, you may be entitled to claim if your child needs significantly more care and supervision than a mainstream child of the same age.

Who is eligible?

If your child has a physical or mental disability (or both) that means that they need more help being cared for than a mainstream child, or if they have trouble walking or moving around then they may be entitled to DLA.

What affect will DLA have on my other benefits?

In general, DLA is not counted as income, and may actually increase the amounts of benefits that you are entitled to (such as Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit).

When can I claim for a child?

Care component

You can claim for care needs before a child is aged three months, although the benefit will only be paid after the child reaches the age of three months (there are exceptions for children with terminal or progressive terminal illnesses).

Mobility component

You can claim for the mobility component from:

Three years - if your child is almost unable or unable to walk
Three years - if your child is assessed to be both 100% disabled because of loss of eyesight and not less than 80% disabled because of deafness
Three years - if your child is severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and qualifies for the highest rate of care component
Five years - if your child needs guidance or supervision when walking out of doors

How do I apply?

You need to get yourself a copy of the DLA Claim Pack for a Child under 16. It's available from:

The Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882 200
Your local Jobcentre Plus or local social security office
Or you can download it from www.dwp.gov.uk/eservice/

Getting your paws on the DLA claim pack is just the beginning, however. The real challenge is completing it correctly.

The form is complicated and will need a lot of careful thought and planning. Set aside some time to complete the form – failing to get this right may mean that you miss out on benefits that you are entitled to.

"I usually spend about a week in the evening filling in the forms, making sure there isn't anything I've forgotten." misdee

Mumsnet special needs webguide has links to heaps of useful organisations

Make sure you keep copies of everything, because you will need to reapply at intervals (every year until they are five, and then at regular intervals, is usual).

You may be asked to reapply even if your child's condition does not change at all. And it is worth keeping a copy of the entire form just in case it gets lost in the post, as happened to one unfortunate Mumsnetter.

"Don't forget to keep a photocopy once you've done it. You can crib for future submissions and, anyway, it's a work of art by the time it's finished!" Davros

There are some useful guides to completing the DLA claim pack, but the one most Mumsnetters swear by is the Cerebra Guide to Completing the DLA Form Package.