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SEND Guidance

Applying for DLA: What Every Parent Needs to Know

· 13 min read · Last reviewed 17 March 2026
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Applying for Disability Living Allowance for your child is one of the most important and stressful things you'll do as a SEND parent.

The form is long. The guidance is dense. The criteria feel deliberately vague. And there's that constant fear that if you don't fill it in exactly right, your child will be refused and you'll lose money your family desperately needs.

If you're feeling that knot in your stomach right now, you're not alone. Thousands of parents fill in this form every year, and most of them feel exactly the same way. The good news: once you understand what the decision-maker is actually looking for, the process becomes much clearer.

This guide walks you through every step.

What is DLA?

Disability Living Allowance is a tax-free benefit paid by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help with the extra costs of raising a child who has a disability or long-term health condition. It's set out in Part III of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, which is the legal foundation for the benefit.

DLA is specifically for children under 16. When your child turns 16, they'll be invited to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) instead, but that's a separate process.

There are two parts to DLA, and your child can qualify for one, both, or neither:

Care component covers the extra help your child needs with things like supervision, toileting, dressing, eating, or taking medication. It's paid at three rates: higher, middle, and lower. Most families apply for the care component because it covers the day-to-day realities of looking after a child who needs more support than other children their age.

Mobility component covers difficulty getting around. It's less common for younger children and is paid at two rates: higher and lower. The higher rate mobility component is only available from age 3, and the lower rate from age 5.

Here's what matters most: DLA isn't means-tested. It doesn't matter what you earn, what savings you have, or what other benefits you receive. If your child meets the criteria, they're entitled to it. The gov.uk DLA for children page confirms this clearly.

How much is DLA worth?

The rates below are for the current 2025-26 tax year (April 2025 to March 2026).

If your child qualifies for the highest rate care and higher rate mobility combined, that's up to £187.45 per week. That can make a real difference to a family's ability to meet their child's needs.

2025-26 rates
From April 2026 +3.8%
Highest care
£110.40
£114.60
Middle care
£73.90
£76.71
Lowest care
£29.20
£30.31
Higher mobility
£77.05
£79.98
Lower mobility
£29.20
£30.31

The rates above increase by 3.8% from 6 April 2026. See the gov.uk benefit rates 2026-27 for the full list.

Getting DLA can also open the door to other support. It's a gateway benefit: it can increase your Universal Credit, qualify you for Carer's Allowance, give you access to the Motability scheme, and help with council tax reductions and Blue Badge applications.

Who can apply?

Before you start the form, check that your child meets the basic eligibility criteria.

DLA eligibility criteria
Under 16 years old
Lives in England, Scotland, or Wales
Northern Ireland has a separate system
Has a physical or mental disability, or a health condition
Needs substantially more help or supervision than a child of the same age without a disability
Has needed that extra help for at least 3 months
You can apply now but payment starts after the qualifying period
Important

The 3-month qualifying period is a legal requirement. Your child must have needed extra help for at least 3 months before DLA can be paid. If your child was recently diagnosed or their condition recently worsened, you can still apply now, but payment won't start until that 3-month threshold is met. The only exception is for terminally ill children, where the qualifying period is waived entirely.

The crucial phrase is "substantially more help than a child of the same age." The decision-maker isn't asking whether your child has a disability. They're asking whether your child needs more looking after, more supervision, or more help getting around than a typical child the same age.

A 2-year-old who needs help with toileting? That's normal for their age. A 7-year-old who needs help with toileting? That's substantially more than a typical 7-year-old needs. The comparison is everything.

You don't need a formal diagnosis to apply. What matters is the level of help your child needs, not the label attached to their condition.

Step-by-step: how to apply

Here's the actual process, broken down into manageable steps.

Step 1: Call the DLA helpline or start online

You can start your claim by calling the Disability Living Allowance helpline on 0800 121 4600 (textphone: 0800 121 4523). They'll send you a claim form (the DLA1 child form), and your claim date will be set from the day you call.

Alternatively, you can start a claim online at gov.uk. The online version asks the same questions as the paper form.

Setting the claim date matters because if your child is awarded DLA, payment can be backdated to the date you first contacted DWP (not the date you return the form). So call or start your claim as soon as you're ready, even if you need a few weeks to gather evidence.

Step 2: Gather your information before you start writing

Before you sit down with the form, collect:

  • Your child's details - full name, date of birth, and National Insurance number (if they have one)
  • Your own National Insurance number
  • Bank or building society details - DLA is paid into your account if your child is under 16
  • Professional contacts - names and addresses of your child's GP, consultant, and any other professionals involved in their care
  • Reports and assessments - school reports, EHCP documents, paediatrician letters, therapy reports

Step 3: Fill in the form with specific, honest detail

This is the most important step. The form asks about your child's needs across several areas:

  • Help with personal care (washing, dressing, toileting, eating)
  • Supervision and watching over your child
  • Help during the night
  • Medication and treatments
  • Communication difficulties
  • Behaviour that's challenging or dangerous
  • Mobility and getting around

For each section, describe exactly what happens in your home, every day. We'll cover evidence in detail below.

Step 4: Attach supporting evidence

Include any letters, reports, or documents that support what you've described. Don't send originals. Photocopies or printed PDFs are fine.

Step 5: Send the form back within 6 weeks

DWP gives you 6 weeks to return the completed form. If you need more time, call the helpline and ask for an extension. They'll usually grant one.

Step 6: Wait for the decision

Once DWP receives your form, a decision-maker will review everything. You'll get a letter with the outcome. This typically takes 8 to 12 weeks, sometimes longer.

Start your claim
Call the DLA helpline or start online. Your claim date is set from this day.
Gather your information
Collect reports, professional contacts, and bank details before you start writing.
Complete the form
Fill in the DLA1 child form with specific, honest detail about your child's daily needs.
Attach supporting evidence
Include letters, reports, and assessments. Send photocopies, not originals.
Return within 6 weeks
Send the form back. Call for an extension if you need more time.
6-week deadline
Wait for the decision
A DWP decision-maker reviews everything. You'll get a letter with the outcome.
8-12 weeks typical

Evidence: the part that matters most

This is where applications succeed or fail. The form alone gives the decision-maker your words. Evidence gives them proof.

It's worth understanding what the decision-maker is trained to look for. The DWP Decision Makers Guide (their internal guidance document, which is publicly available) tells them to consider "the nature, severity, duration, and variability" of your child's condition and the help they need. That means your evidence needs to cover all of those things.

Tip

Write as if the decision-maker has never met your child and knows nothing about their condition. Because that's exactly the situation. Don't assume they understand what autism, ADHD, cerebral palsy, or any other condition means in practice. Tell them what it means for your child, specifically.

Your own descriptions are the main evidence

The form gives you space to describe your child's needs. Use every bit of it. The difference between a refused and an approved application often comes down to specificity.

This won't work: "My child struggles with personal care."

This will: "Every single time my child uses the toilet, I have to help with wiping, pulling up their trousers, and washing their hands. They're 9 years old. They can't do any of these steps without my direct help. We've been working with the continence team at the hospital since 2024, and they've confirmed that independent toileting isn't expected for my child in the near future."

This won't work: "My child has trouble sleeping."

This will: "My child wakes 3 to 5 times every night. Each time, I have to go to their room, calm them down (which takes 10 to 20 minutes), and often stay until they fall back asleep. Without this, they become distressed and sometimes hurt themselves by banging their head against the wall. I'm getting an average of 4 hours' broken sleep per night."

Letters from professionals carry real weight

If your child's teacher, SENCO, health visitor, paediatrician, speech therapist, occupational therapist, or any other professional can write a letter describing the help your child needs, that's powerful evidence. A sentence like "In my professional experience working with this child over 18 months, I observe that they require one-to-one adult support for all personal care tasks" gives the decision-maker independent confirmation of what you've described.

Ask professionals to be specific. "This child has additional needs" is too vague. "This child cannot eat independently, requiring an adult to cut food into small pieces and supervise every mealtime to prevent choking" is what the decision-maker needs.

Daily routine records

Keep a diary for a week or two before you fill in the form. Write down:

  • What time your child wakes and what help they need immediately
  • How long getting dressed takes and what you have to do
  • Mealtimes: what help is needed, how long it takes
  • Toileting: how often, what help, any accidents
  • After school: supervision, behaviour, help needed
  • Bedtime routine: how long, what happens, night waking

This gives you concrete, specific examples to draw from when completing the form.

Medical records and reports

Hospital letters, paediatrician reports, therapy assessments, medication lists, and EHCP documents all help paint the full picture. They're context for your descriptions, not a replacement for them. A diagnosis of autism tells the decision-maker what condition your child has. Your descriptions tell them what that means in practice.

School evidence

If your child has an EHCP, the professional assessments that contributed to it are relevant. School reports showing the level of support your child receives during the day can demonstrate that their needs go beyond what's typical for their age.

What happens after you apply

Once you've sent the form, DWP assigns it to a decision-maker. Here's what to expect.

Weeks 1 to 4: DWP may contact your child's GP, consultant, or other professionals for additional medical evidence. They'll also review everything you've sent.

Weeks 4 to 12: The decision-maker reviews all the evidence and makes a decision. They're looking at whether your child meets the legal criteria for each component and rate.

The decision letter: You'll receive a letter telling you the outcome. If your child is awarded DLA, the letter will tell you which components and rates they've been given, and how long the award lasts (usually 1 to 5 years, after which you'll need to renew).

Backdating: If your child is awarded DLA, payment is backdated to the date you first contacted DWP to start the claim (not the date you returned the form). This is why Step 1 matters.

If you haven't heard anything after 12 weeks, call the DLA helpline to check on progress. Sometimes applications get delayed, and a phone call can move things along.

Understanding the decision: rates and components

The decision-maker will assess your child for each component separately.

Care component rates:

  • Highest rate: Your child needs help or supervision throughout the day and during the night, or they're terminally ill
  • Middle rate: Your child needs frequent help or supervision throughout the day, or prolonged or repeated help during the night
  • Lowest rate: Your child needs help for a significant portion of the day with personal care (such as washing, dressing, or eating)

Mobility component rates:

  • Higher rate: Your child is unable or virtually unable to walk, or would be in danger walking outdoors without supervision (available from age 3)
  • Lower rate: Your child can walk but needs guidance or supervision outdoors on unfamiliar routes (available from age 5)

The DWP Decision Makers Guide provides detailed guidance on interpreting these criteria. The key principle is always the same: how does your child compare to a typical child of the same age?

If things go wrong

It's hard to hear that your child's application has been refused. But a refusal doesn't mean your child isn't eligible. It often means the decision-maker didn't have enough detail.

Mandatory reconsideration

Your first step is to request a mandatory reconsideration within one month of the decision date. This means asking DWP to look at the decision again. You should:

  1. Write to DWP explaining why you disagree with the decision
  2. Reference specific evidence that was missed or misunderstood
  3. Provide any new evidence you've gathered since the original application
  4. Be specific about which parts of the decision you think are wrong

Tribunal appeal

If the mandatory reconsideration doesn't change the decision, you can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support). You have one month from the mandatory reconsideration notice to submit your appeal.

Tribunal success rates for DLA are significant. Many families who are refused at the initial stage and at mandatory reconsideration go on to win at tribunal, because the tribunal panel can hear directly from you and ask questions about your child's needs.

Complaints

If you believe DWP made a procedural error (lost evidence, didn't contact your GP when they said they would, or didn't consider information you provided), you can make a formal complaint through DWP's complaints process. This is separate from the appeals process.

Getting help

You don't have to navigate this alone. Several organisations offer free, expert support:

These services are free. They understand the system inside out. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the form or unsure about your evidence, reaching out to one of these organisations before you submit can make a real difference.

How the tool can help

Our free AI assistant can help you prepare for the DLA application. It'll ask you questions about your child's daily routine, the help they need, and what professionals are involved, then help you think through how to describe that clearly on the form. It's not a substitute for the expert advice offered by organisations like Citizens Advice or IPSEA, but it can help you organise your thoughts and make sure you haven't missed anything important before you start writing.

Sources and further reading

Legislation

Official guidance

Trusted charities