Disability Living Allowance

• If you need help looking after yourself
• If you became ill or disabled and needed help before your 65th birthday and make a claim before your 65th birthday
• If you are aged 5 or over and under 65, and have difficulty walking or need help getting around
• Paid at different rates

Have you:

• Needed help for three months and are likely to need it for at least another six months?

• There are special rules for people with a terminal illness to help them get benefit quickly and easily.
• 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.

DLA for children under age 16

• with a physical or mental illness or disability
• If they need more help or looking after than other children of the same age because of their illness or disability

Is the child:

• Aged 3 months or over and generally needs extra help or looking after?
• Aged 3 years or over and has severe difficulty walking?
• Aged 5 years or over and has difficulty walking or needs extra help getting around?

You can claim DLA before the child is aged 3 months, but DLA will not be paid before the child reaches age 3 months unless they are terminally ill.

How to claim