Disability living allowance

Disability living allowance can be paid to a person with a disability who: - Claims before s/he is 65 and her/his care or mobility needs began before s/he was 65; and is not permanently in hospital or living in accommodation provided by or funded by a local authority; and has lived in the UK for six out of the last 12 months and actually lives in the UK when s/he claims and normally lives in the UK, unless s/he is terminally ill; and has care needs - see below; and/or has mobility needs. Disability living allowance can be paid for children under 16. However, there are additional conditions concerning a child's care and mobility needs. A minimum age applies to help with mobility needs. You should consult an experienced adviser.

Care needs

A person will have cared needs if s/he: needs help with ‘bodily functions’, for example, eating, washing, dressing and going to the toilet. It can also include help which enables someone to take part in social activities; and/or needs supervision to stop being a danger to her/himself or others; and/or needs help in preparing and cooking a main meal, for example, s/he cannot cope with heavy pans or cannot light a cooker; and/orIs terminally ill. It does not matter if no one is providing the person with care, but s/he must show that s/he needs the care. If you are not sure whether your care needs meet the entitlement conditions, you should consult an experienced adviser.

A person will have mobility needs if s/he-cannot walk outdoors or go on an unfamiliar route without guidance or supervision from another person most of the time, for example, s/he is blind; or is unable to walk or has difficulty in walking. This may mean using a wheelchair, walking very slowly, walking with a lot of pain or effort or being unable to walk very far; or has had both legs amputated or was born without legs or feet; or is blind and deaf and needs someone to help her/him out of doors; or/has severe learning difficulties and can behave very disruptively. It does not matter if no one is providing the claimant with the guidance or supervision s/he needs.

How much will the claimant get

There are two components of disability living allowance. The care component is for care needs and the mobility component is for mobility needs. The claimant can receive one or both components. The care component is paid at three rates the lower rate is paid for somebody who needs help with cooking a main meal or who needs care for a significant part of the day the middle rate is paid to someone who needs frequent care throughout the day or during the night.

The higher rate is paid to someone who needs frequent care throughout the day and during the night, or who is terminally ill. The mobility component is paid at two rates: - the lower rate is paid to someone who cannot walk outdoors without guidance or supervision the higher rate is paid to anyone else.

Disability living allowance will be paid as long as the person has care/mobility needs and may be awarded for an indefinite period or a fixed period. It cannot be paid until the person has had care/mobility needs for three months and the needs must be expected to last for at least six months. The time limits do not apply if the person is terminally ill and claims the care component. Disability living allowance is affected by going into hospital. Disability living allowance will usually stop after four weeks in hospital (twelve weeks if the person is under 16.

How to claim disability living allowance

A person can claim disability living allowance by: telephoning the Benefits Enquiry Line (BEL) obtaining a claim pack by completing leaflet DS704, available from post offices and social security offices. Some organisations are also authorised to hold claim packs, for example, Citizens’ Advice Bureaux. Downloading the form from the website www.dwp.gov.uk. The claimant will need a health professional to complete part of the form. The claimant must provide her/his national insurance (NI) number or information, which will enable it to be identified. If s/he does not have a NI number, s/he should apply for one.

After the DWP receive the form, the claimant may have to have a medical examination. The claim form for disability living allowance is lengthy and you can get help with filling it in. You can use the forms completion service provided via the Benefits Enquiry Line