Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit for children and adults who need help with personal care or have walking difficulties because they are physically or mentally disabled.

This is a guide only. For more information contact the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00

The person you care for may get Disability Living Allowance if:

They have a physical or mental disability, or both
Their disability is severe enough for them to need help caring for themselves, or they have walking disabilities, or both
They are under 65 when they claim

To claim the person you care for must have had their disability for 3 months or more and are likely to have these difficulties for at least a further 6 months.

Whether they work or not will have no affect on them getting Disability Living Allowance. It isn’t usually affected by any savings or income.

If They Have Care Needs

To get the care component of Disability Living Allowance, the person’s disability must be severe enough for them to:

Need help with things such as washing, dressing, eating, getting to and using the toilet, or communicating their needs, or
Need supervision to avoid putting themselves or others in substantial danger, or
Need someone to prepare a cooked main meal for them as they are unable to do so (if they had the ingredients).

There are 3 rates of Care Component; the one they receive will depend upon how their disability affects them:

The lowest rate, if they need help or supervision for some of the day or they are unable to prepare a cooked main meal
The middle rate, if they need help or supervision frequently throughout the day, or during the night
The highest rate, if they need help or supervision frequently throughout the day and during the night

They can get Disability Living Allowance for their care needs even if no one is actually giving them all the care they need, or if they live alone.

If They Have Mobility Needs

To get the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, the person’s disability must be severe enough for them to have the following difficulties, even when wearing or using an aid or equipment they normally use:

They are unable or virtually unable to walk, or have no feet or legs, or
They are both 100% blind and 80% deaf and need someone with them when out doors, or
They are severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and qualify for the highest rate of care component, or
The effort of walking could threaten their life or seriously affect their health, or
They need guidance and/or supervision from another person when walking out doors in unfamiliar places

There are 2 rates of the mobility component depending on how the person’s disability affects them:

The lower rate, if they need guidance or supervision out doors
The higher rate, if they have any of the other, more severe, walking difficulties

Some people will only be entitled to one component, others may be entitled to both.

Claiming for an Ill or Disabled Child

The child must need a lot more help or supervision than other children of the same age.

The benefit will not be paid until the child reaches 3 months of age. Although you can make your claim before this, so that they receive it once they turn 3 months.

You can claim mobility needs from:

Age 3, if your child is unable, or virtually unable, to walk
Age 3, if your child is both 100% blind and 80% deaf
Age 3, if your child is severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and qualifies for the highest rate of the care component
Age 5, if your child needs guidance or supervision when walking out doors.

For more information call the Benefit Enquiry Line on

0800 88 22 00

Last Updated December 2010