Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - children - How much Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will my child get?

There are two parts of Disability Living Allowance (DLA). One is the care component if your child has care needs. The other is the mobility component if they have mobility problems. Your child may just qualify for one part or both.

Care component

This is paid at one of three different weekly rates depending on how much care your child needs:

• Highest rate: £108.55
• Middle rate: £72.65
• Lowest rate: £28.70

Mobility component

This is paid at one of two different weekly rates, depending on how difficult it is for your child to get around:

• Higher rate: £75.75
• Lower rate: £28.70

Benefit Cap

If your child receives DLA, you will be exempt from the Benefit Cap which limits the total amount in some benefits that working-age households can receive. See our Benefit Cap guide for more details.

How will I be paid Disability Living Allowance?

DLA will be paid directly into your bank or building society account or through the Payment Exception Service if you are unable to open or manage one of these or a similar account.

DLA is usually paid every four weeks.

Awards of DLA can be made for either fixed or indefinite periods but usually awards (payments) are made for a minimum of six months or longer if you carry on having care needs.

Disability Living Allowance and other benefits

If your child starts to get DLA, it might increase the amount of other benefits or credits you are entitled to. For example, you may get extra Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Child Tax Credit.

DLA is normally ignored as income for working out other benefits.

If your child gets DLA, you might qualify for Carer’s Allowance and for help from the Motability scheme (see below).

Motability

There is a scheme called Motability which helps parents to hire a car on behalf of a child who is over three years of age and getting the higher rate mobility part of DLA.

A contract hire scheme for powered wheelchairs or scooters is also offered through Motability.

The hire purchase or lease payments are met by your DLA high rate mobility component, which is usually paid direct to Motability.

For more information, see the Motability website or phone 0300 456 4566.