Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

What is Disability Living Allowance (DLA)?

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit that helps with the extra costs of caring for a child under 16 who has a disability, long-term health condition, or additional care and mobility needs. It is not based on household income or savings. DLA can provide financial support through a care component, a mobility component, or both, depending on the child’s individual needs.

For many families, DLA can help cover additional expenses such as specialist equipment, transport, therapies, or extra support required due to a child’s condition.

Check your eligibility

A DLA eligibility checker can help you find out whether your child may be entitled to DLA based on their care and mobility needs. By answering a series of questions, you can get an indication of whether your child is likely to qualify, which components they may be eligible for, and the level of support they could receive. It’s a useful first step to help families understand their potential entitlement before making a claim.

There are several eligibility checkers you can complete to find out if you qualify:

Where to go for help

If you’re struggling with a DLA application, you can reach out to Contact by calling their helpline at 0808 808 3555 or from your local Citizens Advice office.