Disability Living Allowance for Children

DLA for children is made up of two separate components, and your child may qualify for one or both depending on their needs.

The care component is for children who need help with personal care, supervision to avoid danger, or someone to watch over them at night. There are three weekly rates:

• Lowest rate (£28.70/week): Your child needs help or supervision for some of the time during the day, or needs someone to be awake at night to watch over them.
• Middle rate (£72.65/week): Your child needs frequent attention or supervision throughout the day, or prolonged attention or someone awake at night.
• Highest rate (£108.55/week): Your child needs attention or supervision throughout the day and someone awake at night, or is terminally ill.

The mobility component is for children who have difficulty walking or getting around. There are two weekly rates:

• Lower rate (£28.70/week): Your child (aged 5 or over) can walk but needs guidance or supervision from another person when outdoors in unfamiliar places.
• Higher rate (£75.75/week): Your child (aged 3 or over) is unable or virtually unable to walk, has no legs or feet, is blind and deaf, or has severe mental impairment with severe behavioural problems.

Rates are reviewed each April and usually rise with inflation. Always check GOV.UK for the current figures.

To claim DLA for a child under 16, you must be the child's parent or the person responsible for the child. The claim is made on a DLA1 Child form, which you can request by calling the DLA helpline on 0800 121 4600 or downloading from GOV.UK.

The form is lengthy and can take several hours to complete. Key tips:

• Describe the worst days, not the best — the assessor needs to understand what life is like when your child is struggling most.
• Compare to a child of the same age without the disability — the test is not what your child cannot do, but what extra care or supervision is needed compared to other children.
• Use real examples — describe specific incidents and how much time they take. Quantify where possible.
• Include all health professionals involved — provide names and contact details for GPs, consultants, therapists, and school SENCOs.

Supporting evidence from health or education professionals is not mandatory but significantly strengthens a claim. Contact your GP or specialist to request a letter confirming your child's diagnosis and functional impact before submitting the form. Citizens Advice can assist in completing the form.

The DWP Decision Maker will consider all evidence when deciding your claim. Useful evidence includes:

• Letters or reports from the child's GP, consultant, paediatrician, or specialist nurse
• Reports from therapists — occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists
• Education Health and Care (EHC) plans or statements of special educational needs
• Letters from the child's school or SENCO describing daily support needs
• A diary kept by the parent or carer recording daily care needs over a typical two-week period

DLA awards are usually made for a fixed period (typically 1–3 years for young children, or longer for stable conditions). A renewal pack will be sent before the award expires. You can also report a change of circumstances at any time if your child's condition has significantly deteriorated — the award may be increased. Be aware that reporting a change can also lead to a review that reduces an award if the condition has improved.

If a claim is refused or awarded at a lower rate than expected, you can request a Mandatory Reconsideration within one month, and then appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal if still unsatisfied. See our guides on Mandatory Reconsideration and Benefit Appeals.

DLA for children stops when a child turns 16. At this point, young people are invited to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which is the adult equivalent. The DWP sends an invitation letter roughly six months before the young person's 16th birthday.

PIP has two components — daily living and mobility — assessed using a different points-based system from DLA. There is no guarantee that someone who received DLA will automatically qualify for PIP, or that they will receive an equivalent rate.

It is important to:

• Respond promptly to the PIP invitation letter — delays can cause a gap in payments
• Treat the PIP claim as a fresh application — gather updated evidence from medical and educational professionals
• Consider getting support from Citizens Advice or a welfare rights adviser when completing the PIP2 form
• Not assume the current DLA award level will transfer — the functional tests are different

During the transition period, DLA continues to be paid while the PIP claim is being assessed. Young people already receiving the higher rate mobility component of DLA may also be eligible for a Motability vehicle when they transition to the enhanced mobility rate of PIP.