disability living allowance (dla)
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for a person aged 16 or over
This benefit is dealt with by the Disability and Carers Service. Page updated 1st Novemeber 2010
What is it?
You must claim before you reach age 65, unless you are switching from the Invalid Vehicle Service. Paid if you need help looking after yourself. Paid if you are aged 3 or over and have severe difficulty walking, or aged 5 or over and need help getting around. Paid at different rates depending on how your disability affects you.
Can I get it?
Have you:
Needed help for 3 months because of a severe physical or mental illness or disability, and are you likely to need it for at least another 6 months?
If YES, claim DLA.
What else should I know?
There are special rules for people with a terminal illness to help them get DLA quickly and easily.
If you are getting DLA when you reach age 65, it can continue as long as you still need the help.
You can get DLA even if no one is actually giving you the care you need.
You may not get DLA if you are in hospital or residential care.
DLA is not affected by savings.
DLA is not usually affected by other money you have coming in. DLA is usually ignored as income for working out Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance.
How much will I get?
Only use the amounts shown as a guide. The rules for benefits mean that your individual circumstances may affect the amount you can get. This means you will not always be able to work out exactly how much you will get by using these amounts.
Weekly amounts:
Paid because you need looking after (care component)
Higher rate £71.40
Middle rate £47.80
Lower rate £18.95
Paid to help you get around (mobility component)
Higher rate £49.85
Lower rate £18.95
How do I claim?
Claim straight away. If you delay you may lose benefit.
Contact your social security office for a claim form. Find your local office on this site or look in the phone book under Jobcentre Plus, Benefits Agency, or social security.
It is important that we can be sure of your identity when you make a claim. We may need to ask you about your background and look at any official documents you have to support the information you give.
You can download a Disability Living Allowance claim form
You can download a Disability Living Allowance claim form in PDF format. This form does not apply in Northern Ireland.
You can download documents marked with a using Adobe Acrobat Reader, available free of charge.
You can print out one of these forms to fill in with a pen.
Disability Living Allowance for a person aged 16 or over (541KB)
To apply online.
You can print out Guidance Notes for the following:
Disability Living Allowance for Physical Disability (244KB)
Disability Living Allowance for Mental Health Issues (213KB)
The form comes with notes that will help you fill in the form. However, please feel free to use the 'Guidance Notes' above that are downloadable in Acrobat PDF format. These notes are also available from the Benefits and Work Website by clicking here.
I am already getting it. What happens if:
I go into hospital or someone I claim for goes into hospital?
You must tell your social security office as soon as you go into or come out of hospital. You must also tell them if someone you get benefit for goes into or comes out of hospital.
Nothing will usually happen to your DLA straight away.
After 4 weeks
If DLA is paid for someone aged 16 or over, it will usually stop.
If some or all of your DLA is paid into a Mobility scheme and you go into hospital, your DLA mobility component may continue until your Motability agreement ends.
After 12 weeks
If DLA is paid for a child under 16, it will usually stop.
I go to live abroad or visit?
Let us know as soon as you can that you are going abroad. You can usually do this by contacting your social security office.
If you are going abroad permanently you cannot usually get DLA.
If you started to get DLA before 1 June 1992, you may be able to carry on getting it if you live in the European Economic Area (EEA).
If your stay abroad is temporary, you can usually continue getting DLA for 26 weeks. You may be able to continue getting DLA for longer if you are going abroad only for medical treatment for your illness or disability. Your stay must still be temporary.
I am part of a service family living abroad or visiting?
A person may be treated as being present in GB if they are a serving member of the forces or living with a serving member of the forces as the spouse, son, daughter, step-son, step-daughter, father, father-in-law, step-father, mother, mother-in-law or step-mother of that person.
I go into a residential care or nursing home?
If your local council social services department arranges your residential or nursing care, it may affect DLA that is paid because you need someone to look after you.
This part of your DLA will usually stop after 4 weeks if:
You go into a home run by your local council and receive help with funding. The social services department helps with the cost of an independent home. If the social services department did not arrange your care in an independent home, your DLA will usually continue, even if you get Income Support.
(This rule is different in Scotland, check with the office that pays your DLA.)
If the social services department stops helping with the cost of an independent home, tell the office that dealt with your benefit, as you will usually be able to start getting benefit again.
Going to live in a home will not normally affect DLA paid for helping you get around, but it may be affected if the NHS arranges the care.
If DLA you get because you need looking after stops, Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) that someone gets for looking after you also stops.
More information
To get more information or leaflets, get in touch with your social security office.
A confidential telephone service is available for people with disabilities, their representatives and their carers. Ring the Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL) on: 0800 88 22 00. People with speech or hearing problems using a textphone can dial: 0800 24 33 55.
The person taking your call will not have your personal papers but will be able to give you general advice. This advice must not be taken as a decision on any matter about which you are making an enquiry.
You can also get leaflets and forms from the Benefit Enquiry Line.
Disability and Carers Service Customer Charter (English - 110k)
Gwasanaeth Anabledd a Gofalwyr Siarter Cwsmeriaid (English/Welsh) (78k)
Tell us your comments and complaints (English - 109k)
Dywedwch wrthym eich sylwadau a'ch cwynion (English/Welsh - 127k)
Other help available from DWP
Statutory Sick Pay(SSP)
Incapacity Benefit
Severe Disablement Allowance
Attendance Allowance (AA)
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
Income Support
Carers Allowance
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Benefit
Apply for a Pension Forecast on-line
Definitions:
The European Economic Area (EEA) is made up of all European Union (EU) countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom (UK), plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. Switzerland is not a member of the EEA, but as a result of an agreement with the EU that came into force on 1 June 2002, the EU rules on social security also apply to Switzerland.
UK means England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland but not the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Great Britain means England, Scotland and Wales.
Remember that this information is only a general guide to benefits and schemes and is not a full and authoritative statement of the law. We have made every effort to ensure that the information on this website is correct at time when this Website was update. However, changes in the law may make the website become gradually less accurate.
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