Filling in the DLA form for your child
DLA is money towards the extra care your child needs. It’s worth up to £194.60 a week, it isn’t means-tested, and you don’t need a diagnosis. The form is long, and it’s easy to put off, but most of it comes down to describing an ordinary day honestly. Below is what each part is actually asking, with room to jot your own notes first.
How the claim works
DLA has two parts. Your child can get one or both. The form asks about each.
Care component
For help with things like washing, eating, toileting, medication, communication and keeping safe, or being watched over. Three rates:
Help needed for some of the day.
Frequent help or constant supervision by day, supervision at night, or help while on dialysis.
Help or supervision throughout both day and night.
Mobility component
For difficulty getting around. Two rates:
Can walk, but needs help or supervision outdoors, for example to stay safe or find the way.
Cannot walk, or can only walk a short distance without severe discomfort.
Qualifying period: your child must have needed this help for at least 3 months and be expected to need it for at least the next 6 months.
Describing what your child needs
Really the whole form comes down to one question: how much more help does your child need than another child their age? Most of us play it down without meaning to, when you live with it every day, it just becomes normal. A few things make a difference.
- Always compare with another child their age. For each thing, write what a child that age would usually manage on their own, then what your child needs on top of that.
- Cover the good days and the hard ones. It’s easy to describe a calm day and forget the rest. Walk through the mornings, mealtimes, the school run, evenings and the night.
- The more specific you are, the better. “I prompt him through every step of getting dressed, around twenty minutes, or he won’t leave the house” tells them far more than “needs help dressing”.
- They also want to know what could go wrong. What would happen if you turned your back for a moment, near roads or water, choking, hurting themselves, bolting off.
- Keep a rough diary for a week first. Small bits of help add up, and they’re easy to forget when you finally sit down to fill it in. Don’t leave out the nights.
- Send any evidence you have, but don’t hold the claim up for it. Letters from professionals, a care plan or a list of medicines all help, and the form can go in without them.
- Ring for the form before you start. Your claim can count from the day you call the DLA line on 0800 121 4600, as long as you send the pack back within six weeks.
Draft your answers
Write a few notes against each area, in whatever words come to you. When you’re done, print or save them and copy them across onto the form. It all stays in your browser, nothing is saved online or sent to us.
How much more help does your child need than a child the same age? How long does it take? What happens without help?
Do they need help, prompting, cutting up food, supervision (e.g. choking, overeating), or a special diet? How often?
Any help, prompting, cleaning, or nappies/pads beyond what is usual for their age? How often, day and night?
Medicines, physio, sensory or other therapy you give or supervise. How long does it take each day and how often?
Help to understand, be understood, follow instructions, or cope with change. Give real examples.
What could happen if you looked away? Roads, danger, self-harm, running off, meltdowns. How constantly do you watch them?
Behaviour you have to manage or calm, how often it happens, how long it lasts, and what you have to do.
Waking, help to settle, checks, medication, personal care or supervision at night. How many times, most nights?
Can they walk? How far before severe discomfort, pain or exhaustion? Do they use a wheelchair, buggy or aids?
Do they need someone with them outdoors for safety or because they cannot find their way or cope? Why, and always?
Get the form, and free help
The official form
Request the DLA claim pack by phone on 0800 121 4600, or start it online. Calling first sets your claim start date.
DLA for children on GOV.UKFree help completing it
Your local SENDIASS can help you fill it in, one to one and free. Charities like Contact and Cerebra also publish detailed DLA guides.
Find your local SENDIASSJoin a community of parents who’ve been through the DLA process, and get plain-English guides, tools and support, on the web or in the app.