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 more looking after than a child of the same age who doesn’t have a disability

They will need to meet all the eligibility requirements.

The DLA rate is between £21.55 and £138.05 a week and depends on the level of help the child needs. The child may need an assessment to work out what help they need.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children is a tax-free benefit made up of 2 components (parts). The child might qualify for one or both components.

Care component

Mobility component

How DLA for children is paid

DLA is usually paid every 4 weeks.

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into an account, eg your bank account.

Extra help

You might qualify for Carer’s Allowance if you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a child who gets the middle or highest care rate of DLA.

Change of circumstances

You must contact the Disability benefits helpline as soon as the child’s circumstances change - this can affect how much they get. For example, their disability gets worse or they go abroad for medical treatment.

Their DLA won’t usually be affected if they go:

• into a local authority care home for less than 28 days
• into a hospital for less than 84 days
• abroad for less than 13 weeks
• abroad for less than 26 weeks to get medical treatment for a condition which began before they left

Usually, to qualify for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children the child must:

• be under 16
• need extra looking after or have walking dif?culties
• be in Great Britain, another European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland when you claim - there are some exceptions, eg family members of the Armed Forces
• have lived in Great Britain for 2 out of the last 3 years if over 3 years old
• be allowed to enter or stay in the UK

You can claim DLA for children if you're in or out of work.

Children under 3

A child under 6 months must have lived in Great Britain for at least 13 weeks.

A child aged between 6 months and 3 years must have lived in Great Britain for at least 26 of the last 156 weeks.

The rules on residence do not normally apply if a child is terminally ill.

The child’s disability or health condition

The child’s disability or health condition must mean one or both of the following apply:

• they need more looking after than a child of the same age who doesn’t 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. If they’re terminally ill (ie not expected to live more than 6 months), they don’t need to have had these difficulties for 3 months.

Care component

The rate the child gets depends on the level of looking after they need eg:

• lowest rate - help for some of the day or night
• middle rate - frequent help or constant 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 terminally ill

Mobility component

The rate the child gets depends on the level of help they need getting about eg:

• lowest rate - they can walk but need help and or supervision when outdoors
• highest rate - they can’t walk, can only walk a short distance without severe discomfort, could become very ill if they try to walk or they’re blind, severely sight impaired

Assessments

You might get a letter saying the child needs an assessment to check their eligibility. The letter explains:

• why and where they must go
• what paperwork you must bring, eg a passport or birth certificate as proof of identity for yourself and the child.

Use the DLA claim form to apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children under 16. The form tells you where to send your application.

You can order a printed form by telephoning the Disability Living Allowance helpline.

Disability Living Allowance
Telephone: 0845 712 3456
Textphone: 0845 722 4433
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Find out about call charges

What you need to know

DLA can only be claimed for children under 16 - anyone over 16 must apply for Personal Independence Payment.

You can claim DLA for a child as long as you look after them as if you’re their parent. ‘Parent’ includes step-parents, guardians, grandparents, foster-parents, and even older brothers or sisters.

DLA can’t be backdated. The date of your claim will usually be the date the form is received or the date you call the enquiry line (if you return the claim pack within 6 weeks).

It usually takes 40 working days to deal with a DLA claim.

The child may need an assessment to complete the application.

Terminal illness

There are special rules if the child is not expected to live more than 6 months, so they can get DLA more quickly. You must:

• complete a DLA claim form
• include a DS1500 medical condition report with your claim form or send it soon after - these are free and you can only get them from a doctor, specialist or consultant

Appeal a decision

You can appeal a decision about your Disability Living Allowance if you’re unhappy with it.

Your child may be affected by Personal Independence Payment (PIP) when they turn 16. This is a new benefit that’s replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for people aged 16 to 64.

Use the PIP checker to find out what happens to their DLA when they turn 16.

Terminal illness

Usually, children awarded DLA under the rules for people who are terminally ill won’t be affected by PIP.

Moving from DLA to PIP

Children living in Wales, East Midlands, West Midlands and East Anglia who turn 16 on or after 7 October 2013 will be invited to claim PIP.

You’ll be sent a letter at least 5 months before they turn 16 explaining:

• what will happen to their DLA
• how and when they can claim PIP

This also applies if their postcode begins with:

• DG (Dumfries and Galloway)
• EH (Edinburgh)
• TD (Galashiels)
• ML (Motherwell)
• CA (Carlisle)
• DL (Darlington)
• HG (Harrogate)
• LA (Lancaster)
• YO (York)

When they apply for PIP

They can apply for PIP when asked (even if they get an indefinite or lifetime DLA award). Their DLA will continue for at least 28 days after the decision is made about their claim.

Their DLA will end if they decide not to apply.