Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Introduction - What is DLA

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is the main benefit for children under 16 with a medical condition or disability. DLA helps to meet the extra costs that you might have as a result of your child’s disability.

Contact.org.uk - Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

DLA for children is a tax-free benefit made up of 2 components. It can 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

Eligibility

You will usually be able to claim DLA for children if all of the following apply:

  • Your child is under 16
  • Your child needs extra care or has walking difficulties

If your child is nearing the end of life (for example, due to a life limiting illness) you may be able to get DLA more quickly and at a higher rate.

  • Any child who has a disability or illness might qualify for DLA. You don’t need to wait for a formal diagnosis to make a claim. It is sufficient that they have some form of disability.
  • You will need to show that your child needs substantially more care or supervision than other children of the same age who don’t have a disability or health condition. Any decision to award DLA will be based on how your child’s condition impacts on their day-to-day life.
  • You can claim DLA for a child from the age of three months, or from birth if your child has a terminal illness.
  • You can claim DLA for your child regardless of whether you are working or not. It isn’t means-tested, so it does not matter what income or savings you have.

Contact.org.uk: Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

The 2 Components of DLA

‘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 are 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.’

Source: https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children

How to claim DLA

‘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
  • Phoning the Disability Living Allowance helpline and asking for a printed form

Source: www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children

Completing the DLA Application

Contact.org.uk  https://contact.org.uk/ advises:

  • Keeping a diary for a week before tackling the form. This will be useful for providing evidence of your child’s extra needs. It will also help you think about all the extra things you have to do for your child and how long this takes.
  • If possible, get specialist advice from a welfare benefits adviser or someone else who is familiar with completing the form.
  • A decision on your child’s claim will be made by someone who has never seen your child. It is important that you make clear all the extra care and support that your child needs. Don’t assume that the decision maker will already have this understanding.
  • Decision makers aren’t medically qualified. They may have little or no knowledge about your child’s condition. They will rely on medical information you supply with the claim, plus their own guidance on disability in children. If they need more evidence, they may write to your GP or hospital consultant. However, there is no guarantee they will do this. It might be a good idea to try and gather some supportive evidence yourself and send it to them.

Read more tips about completing the DLA Form: Tips on completing the Disability Living Allowance form  

More helpful information from Contact.org.uk:

How long will my child’s DLA award last for?

  • ‘Some children get a DLA award for an indefinite period. But most children’s DLA awards last for a fixed period, for example three years.
  • Towards the end of that time, you will normally be invited to reapply for DLA. They’ll send you a new claim form to complete. If they haven’t automatically sent you a renewal pack, and you have less than 20 weeks left before your existing award runs out, contact them to ask that they send out a renewal pack.
  • It’s very important that you return the renewal forms before the current award finishes. If you don’t, you could lose out on benefit payments in between.
  • A renewal claim is treated as a new claim. It’s important to provide as much information as you did when you first claimed. If you disagree with your child’s renewal award, you can challenge the decision in the same way as challenging an original decision.’

What if I am not happy with the DLA decision?

  • ‘If your child is refused DLA or awarded it at a lower rate than you expected, you may wish to challenge that decision.
  • You can ask for a decision to be looked at again. This is known as a ‘mandatory reconsideration’ request, and you can do it by phone or in writing. If you want to do it in writing, you can either ask for a form or send a letter. You must normally ask for this within one month of the date of the decision you are challenging. Late requests will sometimes be accepted.
  • If you are still not happy with the outcome of the mandatory reconsideration, you can request an appeal. You must do this either online or in writing using an appeal form. You must normally do this within one month of the date on your mandatory reconsideration decision. Late appeals will sometimes be accepted.’

Support with your Application

 There is a Disability Living Allowance helpline that can offer support with your application:

Support in Leeds

Leeds City Council's Welfare Rights can:

  • ‘help you to complete claim forms over the phone
  • forms we complete will be posted to you to sign, check and forward to the right department
  • offer guidance and support when making appeals
  • check your benefit entitlement and give guidance on using benefit systems

If we cannot help, we will provide contact details of other agencies who may be able If we meet with you in person, we will give you a receipt to say what we have done, what else we need to do and what we have asked you to do.’

Contact Welfare Rights:

Phone: 0113 376 0452
(Monday to Thursday 9am to 4.30pm, Wednesdays 10:15am to 4:30pm and Friday 9am to 4pm)

People who are deaf or have hearing loss can text for an appointment on 07860 034 964.

Email: welfare.rights@leeds.gov.uk

Additional Advice, Support and Resources:

This information is not affiliated with Leeds Mencap.

The GOV.UK website has lots of information about Disability Living Allowance including the current rates for children, what changes you need to report and what happens when your child turns 16.

Find out more about DLA and other disability benefits from Contact: Benefits | Contact

Watch a video about DLA from Carers UK: https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-childrenDisability Living Allowance (DLA) - YouTube

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