Updated 25 July 2025
Who can get disability living allowance?
Disability living allowance (DLA) is a benefit that helps cover the extra care costs of looking after children under the age of 16 who have a disability or long-term health condition.
DLA for adults is being replaced with by personal independence payment and attendance allowance.
Read this guide to find out if your child qualifies for DLA.
Can my child get DLA?
You can get DLA for your child if they:
- need more care than a child of the same age without a disability or health condition
- have difficulty walking or getting around outdoors in unfamiliar places
It’s not just for children with a physical disability. Your child may also be eligible if they have:
- a behavioural condition
- a mental health condition
- a learning disability
- developmental delay
To qualify, your child must have had the disability or condition for at least three months and be expected to have it for at least another six.
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Will my income affect my DLA claim?
DLA isn’t means-tested. This means you can get it regardless of your income or how much you have in savings.
If your child is under three
To get DLA for a child under three, you’ll need to show that they require more care than a child of the same age who doesn’t have a disability or health condition. This can be tricky as most children this age need a lot of attention.
But if, for example, you have to administer treatments regularly that most other children don’t need, you may be able to get the care part of DLA.
Children under three are not eligible for the mobility part.
If your child is moving to Scotland
You must let the Department for Work and Pensions know if your child is permanently moving to Scotland.
You’ll continue to get DLA for 13 weeks after moving, but then you’ll need to switch to the Scottish version called child disability payment.
If your child has lived outside the UK
To qualify for DLA, your child must have lived in England, Wales or Scotland for a minimum amount of time.
If they’re three or over, the minimum time is six months in the last year.
If they’re between six months and three years, the minimum time is six months in the last three years.
If they’re under six months, the minimum time is 13 weeks.
The time spent in England, Wales or Scotland doesn’t need to be continuous.
If your child isn’t a British citizen
You can get DLA for your child if their immigration status lets them claim public funds.
This includes if they have:
- British or Irish citizenship
- right of abode
- indefinite leave
- refugee status or humanitarian protection
- pre-settled or settled status from the EU Settlement Scheme
If you or your child get financial support from another country
If you or your child are getting a pension or benefit from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, your DLA eligibility could be affected.
It’s a good idea to get advice from Citizens Advice before applying if this is the case.
Claiming DLA if your child has a terminal illness
If your child is terminally ill and not expected to live more than 12 months, there’s a fast-track process for claiming DLA.
It doesn’t matter how long your child has been ill or if they’ve lived outside the UK, you can apply straight away.
You’ll get a decision within about two weeks.
If successful, you’ll get the higher care rate of £108.55 a week. You’ll also get either £28.70 or £75.75 a week for the mobility part, depending on how well your child can get around.
Ask your doctor for an SR1 medical condition report to send in with your DLA application. There’s no charge for this.
You won’t have to fill in the full application form. Question 23 will tell you which bits you need to complete.
If your child is at least three and struggles walking or getting around outside in unfamiliar places, make sure you complete questions 25-31 (the mobility section).
Written by: Rebecca Routledge
Head of Content
A qualified journalist for over 15 years with a background in financial services. Rebecca is Money Wellness’s consumer champion, helping you improve your financial wellbeing by providing information on everything from income maximisation to budgeting and saving tips.
Financial Promotions Manager
Last updated: 25 July 2025
Written by: Rebecca Routledge
Head of Content
Last updated: 25 July 2025
- Can my child get DLA?
- Will my income affect my DLA claim?
- If your child is under three
- If your child is moving to Scotland
- If your child has lived outside the UK
- If your child isn’t a British citizen
- If you or your child get financial support from another country
- Claiming DLA if your child has a terminal illness