Disability Living Allowance

DLA helps with the extra costs of caring for a child under 16 who has a disability or health condition.
Adults 16+ usually claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) instead.

At a glance

Who it’s for: Children under 16 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who need more help than a child of the same age without a disability or health condition.
- Scotland: DLA has been replaced by Child Disability Payment.
What it pays: Two components — Care (three rates) and Mobility (two rates). A child can get one or both.
How decisions are made: Mostly from the form and evidence (no assessment in most DLA child claims).
How long it takes: Commonly 8–12 weeks, faster under Special Rules (end of life).
Start date/backdating: Usually from the date you requested the form (if returned on time), or from the date the DWP receives your claim if you didn’t phone for a form first.

Eligibility basics

Your child may qualify if, because of their condition, they:

Need more care, supervision or prompting than a typical child their age (day or night), and/or
Have mobility difficulties, need guidance outdoors, or cannot move around safely/efficiently compared with peers.

For babies and very young children, the test compares needs with what’s typical at that age.

Important: DLA isn’t means-tested and doesn’t depend on a diagnosis. It looks at needs, not labels.

What you’ll need (documents & info)

Have these to hand before you start:

Child’s details: full name, date of birth, address, NHS number (if you have it).
Your details: relationship to the child; National Insurance number (yours, not the child’s).
Health & education contacts: GP, consultants, therapists; school/college/nursery SENCO; EHCP or support plan.
Medical/education evidence: clinic letters, therapy reports, care plans, hospital discharge summaries, school reports, behaviour logs, risk assessments, OT/SLT notes, prescription list.
Practical evidence: diary of “good” and “bad” days (2–3 weeks helps), incident logs, transport records, sleep charts, accident forms.
Aids/adaptations: details of equipment used, home adaptations, or one-to-one support provided.

Tip: Don’t delay posting the form while you chase every last document — you can send additional evidence later if needed.

How to apply

Get the form
- Phone the DLA helpline to request the DLA1A Child form. Calling usually protects the claim start date as long as you return the form by the stated deadline (often 6 weeks).
- You can also download/print a form from GOV.UK, but the protected date rules are different when you don’t phone first.
Complete the form (see writing guidance below).
Attach copies of evidence (keep originals).
Post to the address on the form. Consider recorded delivery and keep a copy of everything.
Wait for a decision. DWP may contact you or your child’s professionals for more information.

Special Rules (End of Life): If your child is terminally ill (your clinician expects they may die within the next 12 months), ask the clinician to complete the SR1 form. Claims are fast-tracked and paid at enhanced levels for care.

How long does it take?

Typical processing: 8–12 weeks from DWP receiving your form (can be longer if evidence is still being gathered).
Special Rules: Usually much faster.
Renewals/reviews: Timings vary — return review forms promptly to avoid gaps.

While you wait, you can still send extra evidence quoting your child’s name, DOB, and NI number (if allocated) or DWP reference.

Writing the “How their condition affects them” statement (the big one)

This section makes or breaks many claims. Aim for clear, concrete, day-to-day impact. Use these principles:

1) Compare with a child of the same age

Explain what extra help is needed, how often, and for how long.
For babies/toddlers, show why the help is more than typical developmental needs.

2) Structure by activity

Cover daytime and night-time needs where relevant:

Personal care: washing, dressing, toileting, feeding, medication.
Supervision & safety: seizures, choking risk, bolting, self-injury, risk unawareness, meltdowns, aggression, wandering, pica.
Therapies/medical tasks: physio, suctioning, tube feeds, blood tests, nebulisers, inhalers.
Communication: understanding, speech, AAC, prompting, interpreting behaviour.
Learning & behaviour: support in school/nursery, one-to-one, routines, transitions, social interaction.
Sleep: settling, night waking, night-time supervision.
Mobility/outdoors: distance, pace, fatigue, pain, falls, need for guidance, wheelchair/buggy use, sensory overload.

3) Use the “FARF” method for each task

Frequency — how many times a day/week?
Assistance — what exactly do you do (prompting, supervision, physical help)?
Reason — what happens if help isn’t given (risks/consequences)?
Fluctuation — good vs bad days; give typical percentages (e.g., “bad ~3 days/week”).

4) Be specific — examples win decisions

Replace “needs help” with incidents:
- “Needs continuous supervision near roads; bolted twice last month — I held their wrist throughout a 10-minute walk.”
- “Requires 20 minutes toileting support including cleaning and dressing; accidents 3–4 times/week.”

5) Record time and effort

Estimate minutes per episode and total daily time for key tasks.
Note recovery time, e.g., after meltdowns, seizures, or pain spikes.

6) Evidence the variability

Explain triggers (noise, crowds, transitions), and strategies that reduce but don’t remove needs (ear defenders, visual schedules, weighted blankets, sensory breaks).

7) Bring in third-party views

Quote teachers, therapists, carers (briefly) and attach their reports. Consistency across sources helps.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Minimising needs because you’re used to them.

Focusing only on diagnosis (DLA is about needs).

Saying “independent” when it’s only with prompting/supervision.

Ignoring night-time needs or dangerous behaviours.

Forgetting to compare with a same-age child.

Mobility component — what to cover

Outdoors guidance/supervision: Can your child walk at all? For how long/distance before pain/fatigue? Do they need constant guidance to stay safe (roads, strangers, hazards)?
Physical difficulties: Balance, coordination, muscle tone, joint pain, recovery time.
Sensory/behavioural factors: Overwhelm, bolting, shutdowns — why this makes independent outdoor mobility unsafe without help.
Aids/transport: Wheelchair/buggy use (how often), blue badge, school transport notes.

Rates and reviews (high level)

Care component: paid at lowest, middle, or highest rate depending on the level and timing (day/night) of help needed.
Mobility component: lower or higher rate depending on guidance/supervision needs outdoors or physical mobility limitations.
Award length: Fixed-term or until a set review.
Changes of circumstances: Tell DWP if needs increase or decrease, school placement changes, hospital stays, or you move.

(Rates change each April — check GOV.UK for current weekly amounts.)

After you apply

Decision letter: Explains what’s awarded and why.
If refused or too low:
1. Ask for Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) within 1 month of the decision — explain what they missed, add evidence.
2. If still unhappy, appeal to the First-tier Tribunal. Many decisions improve at MR/appeal when evidence is clear.

Quick checklist

Phoned for the form (and noted the deadline to return).
Kept a copy of the completed form and all evidence.
Statement written using FARF with specific examples.
Covered both day and night needs.
Compared needs to a same-age child.
Included school/therapy reports, care plans, and a short diary.
Posted via recorded delivery.
Calendar reminder for expected decision window and review date.

Regional notes

England & Wales: Claim DLA for children (under 16).
Northern Ireland: DLA for children still applies.
Scotland: Claim Child Disability Payment via Social Security Scotland (rules and process are similar but not identical).

FAQs

Does my child need a diagnosis first?
No. DLA is based on how much extra help they need, not on the label.

Will there be a medical assessment?
Usually no for DLA child claims; decisions are typically paper-based. DWP may call you or a professional for clarification.

Can we work and still get DLA?
Yes. DLA isn’t means-tested and doesn’t depend on your employment status.

What if things get worse after we apply?
Send updated evidence to DWP with your reference. You can also report a change if needs have increased.

Will DLA affect other support?
An award can open doors to Carer’s Allowance (if conditions are met), Motability (with higher rate mobility), and some means-tested top-ups.

Where to get help

School SENCO or therapists for supporting letters.
GP/Consultant for clear summaries.
Local advice agencies (e.g., Citizens Advice) for form-filling and appeals support.