Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Website:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOth...
Who can get Disability Living Allowance?
You may get Disability Living Allowance if:
a) you have a physical or mental disability, or both
b) your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or you have walking difficulties, or both
c) you are under 65 when you claim
You can get Disability Living Allowance whether or not you work.
It isn't usually affected by any savings or income you may have.
If you're aged 65 or over you may be able to get Attendance Allowance.
Disability Living Allowance - eligibility
If you have care needs
To get the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), your disability must be severe enough for you to either:
1) need help with things such as washing, dressing, eating, getting to and using the toilet, or communicating your needs
2) need supervision to avoid you putting yourself or others in substantial danger
3) need someone with you when you are on dialysis
4) be unable to prepare a cooked main meal for yourself (if you have the ingredients), if you are aged 16 or over
There are three rates of care component depending on how your disability affects you:
Lowest rate
If you need help for some of the day or you are unable to prepare a cooked main meal.
Middle rate
If you need help with personal care frequently or supervision continually throughout the day only, or help with personal care or someone to watch over you during the night only, or someone with you while you are on dialysis.
Highest rate
If you need help or supervision frequently throughout the day and during the night.
You can get Disability Living Allowance for your care needs even if no one is actually giving you the care you need, even if you live alone.
If you have mobility needs
To get the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, your disability must be severe enough for you to have any of the following walking difficulties, even when wearing or using an aid or equipment you normally use:
* because of a physical disability, you are unable or virtually unable to walk without severe discomfort, or at risk of endangering your life or causing deterioration in your health by making the effort to walk
* you have no feet or legs
* you are assessed to be both 100 per cent disabled because of loss of eyesight and not less than 80 per cent disabled because of deafness and you need someone with you when you are out of doors
* you are severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and qualify for the highest rate of care component
* you need guidance or supervision most of the time from another person when walking out of doors in unfamiliar places
* you are certified as severely sight impaired by a consultant ophthalmologist, and you were aged between 3 and 64 on 11 April 2011; you must also have a best corrected visual acuity of less than 3/60, or you must have a best corrected visual acuity of 3/60 or more but less than 6/60 together with a complete loss of peripheral visual field and a central visual field of no more than ten degrees in total
There are two rates of the mobility component depending on how your disability affects you:
Lower rate
If you need guidance or supervision out of doors.
Higher rate
If you have any of the other, more severe, walking difficulties.
You may be entitled to only the care component or only the mobility component, or you may be entitled to both.
If you are claiming for a disabled child
Your child must need a lot more help or supervision than other children of the same age.
You can claim for care needs before a child is aged three months. However, benefit will not be paid before the child reaches the age of three months unless they are paid under 'special rules' (see below).
You can claim for mobility needs from age three, if your child:
i) is unable, or virtually unable, to walk
ii) would be at risk if they tried to walk
Your circumstances
Your entitlement to Disability Living Allowance and the amount you get is based on the information you told the Disability and Carers Service (DCS). If this information changes, it is your responsibility to tell the DCS. They can then check you're still entitled to the benefit and whether you're getting paid the correct amount.
If you are not sure what changes you need to tell DCS about, please read Disability Living Allowance – your circumstances.
Who to contact about disability and carers benefits
Who you should contact depends on which benefit it's about and whether you have already made a claim or not.
Disability benefits – before you have made a claim
The Benefit Enquiry Line is a telephone advice and information service. You can call if you are sick or disabled or if you are caring for someone and acting on their behalf.
Telephone: 0800 88 22 00
Textphone: 0800 24 33 55
You can also use the Text Relay service.
It is open from 8.30 am to 6.30 pm Monday to Friday.
The Benefit Enquiry Line gives general advice on benefits. Enquiries relating to a specific benefit claim should be directed to the office dealing with your claim.
Disability benefits – once you have made a claim
You can get advice from the Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance Helpline, who should have access to your records.
Telephone: 08457 123 456
Textphone: 08457 22 44 33
You can also use the RNID Text Relay service.
The helpline is open from 7.30 am to 6.30 pm, Monday to Friday.
Email: [email protected]
Explaining a benefit decision
Contact the Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance helpline if you would like someone to explain a decision relating to your claim. Staff will help you understand the reasons why the decision was made.
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