New guidance for children’s Disability Living Alliance

Department of Work and Pensions issues new guidance on Disability Living Allowance for children.

The benefit currently helps parents and carers pay for some of the extra costs that a disabled child or a child with an illness or health condition may have.

Disability Living Allowance currently caters to all children with a disability or health condition that will last for a further six months, unless terminally ill.

However, children over 16 – referred to as young people – are now advised to apply for Personal Independence Payment, the version of this benefit for adults.

The current benefit for children has two parts, with the first part looking at how children need care and support for some of the day or night, throughout the day or night, or if they are terminally ill. The DWP looks at how much extra care and support a child needs and allots one of three rates: lowest, middle, or highest. Those who may need help while they are on dialysis, for example, may get a middle rate, whilst those who are terminally ill may get the highest rate.

The second part focuses on mobility, and whether the child needs care, support, or mobility aids to get around. The claim must be made by the parent or carer – with a parent needing to be over 16 and a carer being over 18 to claim for the child. For children who are turning 16, they will be asked to make a new claim to gain Personal Independence Payment.