What is Disability Living Allowance (DLA)?
DLA, short for Disability Living Allowance, is the name of a benefit that some people with a disability or health condition get.
The money is to pay for extra help to do things and to get around.
Some people who used to get DLA now get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) instead.
Disability Living Allowance has 2 parts:
1. Care payments
This money is for some of the extra help people need.
They might need extra help with things like eating, keeping clean, getting dressed, making decisions and making friends.
2. Mobility payments
This money is to help people who cannot walk, find it difficult to move about, or need extra help to move about.
Can I get Disability Living Allowance?
In England and Wales you can usually get DLA for children - if you look after a child who:
- is under 16
- has a health condition or disability
- has needed extra help or found it difficult to move around for at least three months and you think their difficulties will last for at least another six months.
Some adults also get DLA although new DLA claims for people aged 16 or over are no longer supported. They should look at claiming Personal Independence Payments (PIP) or Attendance Allowance instead.
How much is Disability Living Allowance?
From April 2024 - March 2025, the weekly payments are:
Care payment:
Lowest: £28.70
Middle: £72.65
Highest: £108.55
Mobility payment:
Lower: £28.70 (children must be 5 years old or over)
Higher: £75.75 (children must be 3 years old or over)
What information is needed to get Disability Living Allowance?
The Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is sometimes called the DWP. It is part of
the government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much
tax
Tax is the money that pays for things like schools, hospitals and the police. There are different types of taxes like
income tax
Income tax is the money that is taken out of the money you earn every month. It helps to pay for things we all need like hospitals and schools.
,
VAT
VAT is also called Value Added Tax. VAT is the extra money you pay when you buy things. The money goes to the government to pay for things like schools and hospitals.
and
council tax
Council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
Tax is the money that people pay to the
council
A council is also called a
local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools,
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
(support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
. It helps to pay for things like social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection.
.
people should pay and how things like the National Health
Service
A service gives people what they need, like healthcare services that help people when they are ill, and support services that give people support.
(
NHS
The NHS is the National Health Service. The NHS gives free healthcare to everyone in the UK and includes things like your GP (doctors) surgery and hospitals.
) should work.
and manages payments and benefits like Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment,
Employment
Employment means having a job.
and Support Allowance, and Income Support.
(DWP) will ask for information about:
- the child's health condition or disability
- how much extra help the child needs
- if the child can walk or move about
It will help if you can send evidence about how the child's health condition or disability affects them. This might include copies of:
- a list of the medication the child takes
- letters or
assessment
An assessment is a way of finding out what help a person needs. When you have an assessment, you might have to go to a meeting or fill in a form.
reports about the child's health condition or disability
It's easy to apply for Disability Living Allowance
To find out how to apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA), we have created a straightforward step-by-step digital guide to take you through the application process.
Frequently asked questions about Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Am I eligible for Disability Living Allowance?
The eligibility criteria for DLA for children can be found on the UK government website.
If you are over 16 and do not already receive Disability Living Allowance, you will not be able to make a new claim.
If you are under state pension age, read the eligibility criteria for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) on the UK government website.
If you are over state pension age, visit the eligibility criteria for Attendance Allowance on the UK government website.
Is this benefit also available in Scotland and Northern Ireland?
There are differences to DLA if you live in other parts of the UK.
For children:
If your child lives in Northern Ireland you can apply for DLA for children in Northern Ireland.
If your child lives in Scotland you can apply for Child Disability Payment.
For adults:
Adults who already get DLA in Scotland will get letters about moving from DLA to Adult Disability Payment. For details visit mygov.scot.
How much is Disability Living Allowance?
Disability Living Allowance is made up of two parts: care and mobility.
You might get paid the care component or the mobility component, or both.
From April 2023 - March 2024, the weekly payments are:
Care payment:
- Lowest: £28.70
- Middle: £72.65
- Highest: £108.55
Mobility payment:
- Lower: £28.70 (Children must be 5 years old or over)
- Higher: £75.75 (Children must be 3 years old or over)
What happens to Disability Living Allowance for children when the child is 16?
The child will need to apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) when they are 16.
They will get a letter inviting them to apply for PIP. For more information visit our Personal Independence Payment (PIP) page.
I am an adult who gets Disability Living Allowance. Do I have to claim personal Independence Payment (PIP) instead?
If you were born on or before 8 April 1948, you will continue to get DLA as long as you are eligible for it.
If you were born after 8 April 1948, your DLA will end. You will get a letter telling you when that will happen. You will continue to get DLA until that date. Unless your circumstances change, you do not need to do anything until you get the letter.
I am an adult and have had a letter to say my Disability Living Allowance is ending. What do I need to do?
You will get a letter inviting you to apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). If you do apply, you will need to do it within 28 days.
You will continue to be paid your DLA until at least 28 days after a decision is made about your PIP application.
If you are eligible for PIP, you will start getting PIP payments as soon as your DLA payments end.
If you live in Scotland you will get letters telling you that you are being moved from DLA to Adult Disability Payment. You will have no gaps in your payments. For more information visit: mygov.scot.
What changes in circumstances do I need to report?
If you are claiming DLA for a child, you need to report changes like:
- their address
- the name of their doctor
- if they need more help
- if their health condition changes
You can find information about the changes you need to report on the UK government website. If you report a change, y ou may not get the same level of benefit as before.
If you are an adult who receives DLA, you need to contact the Disability Information Centre if your circumstances change. After you have contacted the Disability Information Centre about any changes, you might be asked to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or be told that you are moving to Adult Disability Payment. You can see examples of the changes you need to report on the UK government website.
What should I do if I don't agree with a decision about my DLA claim?
You can challenge a decision about your DLA claim. This is called a
mandatory
Mandatory means that something must be done.
reconsideration.
If you ask for a mandatory reconsideration, someone will look at your DLA claim again.
You have to ask for a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the date the decision was made about your DLA.
Find out how to challenge a decision about your DLA claim on the UK government website.
Is there information about DLA available in Welsh?
Yes. There are Welsh translations available about adult DLA and DLA for children.
The information on this page is for guidance only. Mencap hold no
responsibility
Responsibility is managing or being in charge of something.
for DWP processes, timescales, decisions and service.