ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE &

PENSION CREDIT CLAIM SPECIALISTS

DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE (DLA FOR CHILDREN)

CHILD DLA CLAIMS

A  new claim for Disability Living Allowance can only be made if you are claiming for a child under 16, this benefit is called DLA for children.

If you are over the age of 16 you can only apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

In order to qualify for an award the child’s disability or health condition must mean one or both of the following apply:

They need much more looking after than a child of the same age who doesn’t have a disability.

They have difficulty getting about.

They must have had these difficulties for at least 3 months and expect them to last for at least 6 months.

CARE COMPONENT

The rate the child gets depends on the level of looking after they need, for example:

Lowest rate - help for some of the day (usually about an hour).

Middle rate - frequent help or  supervision during the day, some help, watching over or frequent checking during the night.

Highest rate - frequent help or supervision during the day and some help, watching over or frequent checking during the night (or if the child is terminally ill).

MOBILITY COMPONENT

The rate the child gets depends on the difficulties they have getting about outdoors:

lowest rate - they can walk but need supervision when outdoors.

highest rate - they can only walk short distances without severe discomfort, could become very ill if they try to walk, if they are blind, severely sight impaired, unable or refuse to walk.

EXISTING CHILD DLA CLAIMS

Prior to a childs 16th birthday the DLA will be ended and an invitation to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) will be issued and the child will be assessed for PIP as an adult.

Different rules apply for children with a terminal illness.

FOR PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENT (PIP), ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE AND CHILD DLA CLAIMS,  the information you provide when completing an application for a disability benefit will form part of the decision making process and is often the reason for a benefit being refused.

Improve your prospects of success from the start by downloading one of our guides which show you how to  complete your claim form or questionnaire and are tailored to  specific medical conditions or disabilities.

Simply select the guide that relates to your main illness or disability and use this to enable  you to complete the form correctly.

Click on the Self Help Guide Directory to see the

range of illnesses covered by our guides.