It is important to challenge a decision or get advice as quickly as possible because there are time limits that generally mean you must take action within one month. If you fall outside of this time limit then it may still be possible to challenge the decision. See our talk to us page for details of how to get further help.
For more information you can see the ' challenging a benefit decision ' section of our website. If your child already gets DLA but they now need more help, it may be possible to get their award increased. If you ask for a DLA award to be looked at again, there is always the risk that the award could stay the same or be decreased rather than increased.
To find out about advice agencies in your area see the Advicelocal website. If your child is 16 and you ask for a DLA award to be looked at again, it is likely to instead be treated as a new claim for PIP — click here for more information. DLA can be affected by your child having overnight stays away from home. There are different rules for this depending on whether your child goes into hospital or a care home.
If your child is under 18 when they enter hospital, their DLA can continue to be paid for the whole time they are there. If your child is in a care home which usually includes residential schools , generally payment of the care component will stop after 28 days. However, they can be paid the care component for any day they stay in your home, including the day they leave and the day they return.
The mobility component is not affected by stays in a care home. If this situation applies to your child see our talk to us page for details of how to get further help. Stays your child has in a care home separated by 28 days or less are added together when working out when their DLA should stop.
If your child has been awarded DLA it is always a good idea to check if you are entitled to an increase in any means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, or tax credits that you are already getting, or if you might be entitled to any means-tested benefits that you are not currently getting.
If you're already receiving any means-tested benefits or tax credits you should notify all of the offices which pay them that your child is now getting DLA. Note : You can still get the extra amounts below in Child Tax Credit and Universal Credit even if your child is not included in your claim do to the "two child limit". Universal Credit is assessed more generously when a child receives DLA. This is because families will qualify for an extra disabled child addition which will increase the amount of Universal Credit they are awarded.
If your child is awarded the higher rate care component of DLA, a higher disabled child addition will increase the amount of Universal Credit even more. Similarly Child Tax Credit can be higher. It means that families will qualify for an extra disability element which will increase the amount of Child Tax Credit they are awarded. If your child is awarded the higher rate of the care component of DLA, an enhanced disability premium will increase the amount of Income Support even more.
If you get help with your housing costs through Universal Credit or Housing Benefit , getting DLA for your child may increase the amount you are awarded if you are not already getting your rent covered in full. If you do not receive any Housing Benefit but you are liable to pay rent, your child being in receipt of DLA may mean you now qualify for housing costs paid within Universal Credit. Universal Credit and Housing Benefit are both means-tested so your income and capital will affect the amount you may receive.
You can find out what benefits you are entitled to and how much you should be paid by getting an online benefit check see note below or see our talk to us page for details of how to get further help. Note: You can get a benefits check online by visiting either of the following websites:. It will take about 20 minutes to complete. These online tools are not suitable for everyone. Special rules apply to some groups of people, for example students, people under 18, people in permanent residential care, UK nationals who live abroad and people who are not British or Irish citizens.
If your child is in receipt of DLA, this will mean that you will be exempt from the benefit cap. This is paid at one of three different rates depending on how much extra care your child needs. Whether you get the care component and the rate you get will depend on the amount of extra care or supervision that your child needs and whether this happens during the day or at night. This is usually taken to mean for at least an hour on most days — for example, help with washing and getting dressed in the morning.
This help may be given all at once or be spread out through the day. Day-time needs means they need either:. And they must need substantially more help than a child of the same age without a disability. The mobility component is paid to children who need help in getting around.
It is paid at one of two rates depending on the nature of the mobility problems. The lower mobility component can be paid from the age of five. It is for children who need extra guidance or supervision out of doors. The higher rate of the mobility component can be paid from the age of three. It is for those with severe walking difficulties or those who are deaf blind or severely visually impaired.
There are also specific rules that allow some children with severe learning difficulties or autistic spectrum disorders to qualify for the higher rate of the mobility component. You can find out more in our free parent guide Disability Living Allowance — claiming the higher rate mobility component for children with learning disabilities and Autistic Spectrum Disorders [PDF].
To assess what rate of DLA should be paid, some of the words in the rules have a specific meaning:. Includes anything to do with how the body works, like breathing, eating, drinking, hearing, seeing, walking, sitting, dressing, undressing, washing, bathing, toileting and sleeping. If the help can be done in another room, away from the child, it is unlikely to count unless it is closely connected to something personal, for example changing bedding after a child has wet the bed.
There must be a realistic possibility that without supervision your child could seriously risk harming themselves or others. This situation may arise infrequently or be a one-off. Starts from when the whole household goes to bed and ends when everyone gets up. Normally it is assumed to start around 11pm and end around 7am. This is because the form they send you will be date-stamped with the date you made your call and this will help ensure the benefit is paid from the earliest possible point.
Call our helpline for more details. The earliest it can be paid is the date the form was requested or issued from the DLA Unit, after which you are given six weeks 90 days during the coronavirus pandemic to complete and return the form. If your child qualifies, DLA will be paid from the date it was stamped. We recommend that you keep a diary for a week before tackling the form.
If possible get specialist advice from a welfare benefits adviser or someone else who is familiar with completing the form. Our national freephone helpline can put you in touch with local help to complete the form. You can search for local benefits advisers by using the Turn2Us find an adviser tool.
If more evidence is needed, they may write to your GP or hospital consultant. However, there is no guarantee they will do this so it can be a good idea to try and gather some supportive evidence yourself and send it to them. You should normally get a decision within three months. If your child is refused DLA or awarded it at a lower rate than you expected, you may wish to challenge that decision.
Firstly you can ask for a decision to be looked at again. You must normally ask for this within one month of the date of the decision you are challenging, although late requests will sometimes be accepted. How do I apply for disability benefits? It all depends on your age: If you were born on or before 8 April you can continue to receive DLA as long as you still have care or mobility needs.
If you were born after 8 April , then you will be reassessed for Personal Independence Payment instead. What extra money are you entitled to? Become part of our story Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram. Sign up today Email address. Errors Please enter a valid email address. The payments are covered by the DLA high rate mobility component, which is usually paid directly to Motability.
For more information, see the Motability website or phone on If you would like to tell us more please visit our contact page. Donate Your Situation Back Your Situation In this section you will find information about benefits and grants relevant to your situation.
Back Get Support In this section, you will find the Benefits Calculator; Grants Search; details about Turn2us' direct grant-giving funds; and links to other sources of information and help. Back Support Us In this section you will find information on how you can get involved with supporting Turn2us and the work we do.
Back Working With Us In this section you will find information aimed at charity fund providers and those working with people in financial need. Back About Us Turn2us helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help — online, by phone and face to face through our partner organisations. Benefit Cap If you or your partner receives DLA, you will be exempt from the Benefit Cap which limits the total amount in some benefits that working-age households can receive.
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