If your child has a disability or long-term health condition, you might be entitled to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for them as well as other financial support. It’s important to know what disability benefits and entitlements your child might qualify for and how to claim them.
Disability Living Allowance
Disability Living Allowance is a regular payment to help with the extra costs of daily living or getting about because your child has a long-term health condition or disability. It isn’t means-tested.
This means you might able to claim the benefit for your child regardless of your income or how much you have in savings.
Who is it for?
- children aged from three months to 16 years, who need extra help with daily living tasks, or
- children aged from three years to 16 years who need help with mobility (getting about).
How much is it?
For the 2024/25 tax year, you could get between £28.70 and £184.30 a week, depending on your child’s needs.
How to claim?
Claim online at GOV.UK for the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for childrenOpens in a new window
Find out more at GOV.UK about Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adultsOpens in a new window
Use our Benefits Calculator
If you’re living on a low income or have had an income shock, use our Benefits Calculator to quickly find out what you could be entitled to
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
What is PIP?
It’s a payment that helps with the extra costs of being disabled or having a long-term health condition. It isn’t means-tested.
This means you might be able to claim the benefit for your child when they turn 16, regardless of your income or how much you have in savings.
Who is it for?
People aged over 16 and under State Pension age who need help with daily living tasks or mobility (getting around).
If your child is aged 16 or over and you’re making a new claim for help with the extra costs of disability, you’ll need to claim Personal Independence Payment. If you live in Scotland you’ll need to claim Adult Disability Payment for your child. Find out more about Adult Disability Payment on mygovscot.ukOpens in a new window
If your child is already getting Disability Living Allowance, you’ll be invited to make a new claim for Personal Independence Payment when they reach age 16.
How much is it?
For the 2024/25 tax year, you could get between £28.70 and £184.30 a week, depending on your child’s needs.
How to claim?
Call the Personal Independence Payment claim line on 0800 917 2222 or textphone on 0800 917 7777.
You can also claim by post. Find out more on the GOV.UK website
Find out more about Personal Independence Payment in Northern Ireland on the nidirect website
Help with housing costs if your child has a disability
Universal Credit
Who is it for?
If you are on a low income and need help with paying your rent or mortgage, you might be able to claim the housing costs element of Universal Credit. More of your rent could be covered if a child in your household has a disability or long-term health condition.
Universal Credit has replaced Housing Benefit for new claims for help with housing costs.
If you’re already getting Housing Benefit, check with your local council to see if more of your rent can be covered.
Help with Council Tax (or Rates in Northern Ireland)
It’s for the person responsible for paying Council Tax (or Rates in Northern Ireland). More of your bill might be covered if a child in your household has a disability or long-term health condition.
Council Tax Benefit has now been replaced by Council Tax Reduction schemes run by local councils in England, Wales and Scotland.
Find out more about Council Tax Reduction on the GOV.UK website
How to claim?
In England and Wales, contact your local council to apply for their Council Tax Reduction scheme.
Find your local council on the GOV.UK website
In Scotland, contact your local authority to find out about their Council Tax Reduction scheme.
Find your local council on the mygov.scot website
In Northern Ireland, find out more about the help available with paying your Rates on the nidirect website
Cold Weather Payment
Who is it for?
You might be able to get a Cold Weather Payment to help with home heating costs if your child has a long-term health condition or disability, and you’re getting one of these benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Pension Credit
- Support for Mortgage Interest.
How to claim?
You don’t need to apply for this. If you qualify for a Cold Weather Payment, you’ll be paid it automatically after the temperature in your area has dropped below 0°C for seven consecutive days or more.
Find out more about the Cold Weather Payment on the GOV.UK website
Child Tax Credit or Universal Credit if your child has a disability
Who is it for?
Child Tax Credit has been replaced by Universal Credit as the main benefit for anyone with responsibility for a child that usually lives with them.
You can no longer make a new claim for it unless you're claiming Working Tax Credit.
If you need extra support, you will need to make a claim for the child element of Universal Credit. How much you get will depend on your household income. You may also be able to claim the disabled child addition.
Depending on your child’s condition and the support they need, you could get from £156.11 to £487.58 a month (2024/25) as part of your Universal Credit payment.
If you're already getting Child Tax Credit and your child develops a disability or long-term health condition, you might able to claim an extra disabled premium for them.
Depending your child’s condition and the support they need, you could get between £4,170 and £5,850 a year (2024/25) as part of your Child Tax Credit payment.
Help with getting about – Motability and Blue Badge Schemes
Motability Scheme
Who is it for?
It’s for people getting the higher rate mobility element of Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment. The scheme can provide a car, motorised wheelchair or scooter.
How to claim?
Call Motability on 0300 456 4566.
Find out more on the Motability website
Blue Badge Scheme
Who is it for?
The Blue Badge scheme helps those with severe mobility problems who have difficulty using public transport to park close to where they need to go. Charges and entitlement rules for the Blue Badge scheme vary across the UK.
How to claim?
Apply online on the GOV.UK website or contact your local council.
Find your local council on the GOV.UK website
Find out more about the Blue Badge Scheme on the GOV.UK website
Benefits if you’re a carer
Carer’s Allowance
Who is it for?
You get it if you’re spending at least 35 hours a week caring for a child who gets the middle or higher rate care component of Disability Living Allowance or the daily living component of PIP if they're aged over 16.
If you're on a low income you can apply for the Carer's element of Universal Credit if you're looking after a severely disabled person for at least 35 hours a week.
If you're already getting Carer's Allowance this will be counted as part of your income when working out how much Universal Credit you're entitled to.
Find out more about Carer’s Allowance on the GOV.UK website
If you live in Scotland, carers will also get a supplementary payment of £288.60, paid twice during the 2024/25 tax year.
Find out more on the mygov.scot website
How to claim?
Apply online on the GOV.UK website
Help with claiming disability benefits for your child
Disability benefits are there to help you.
But working out if your child qualifies, and filling in the forms, can be complicated.
Are you claiming Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment for your child? Then they’ll usually need to be medically assessed as part of the claim process.
To get free expert help and advice, call these helplines to speak to an adviser.
Top tip
More than £15 billion in means-tested benefits goes unclaimed every year. Even if you’re not sure, make a claim – you might be surprised what you could get.
While the disability benefit system is being reformed, it’s particularly important to know where to get specialist help if you need it.
- DWP’s Disability Benefits Helpline: 0800 121 4600
- Call Contact’s Family Helpline: 0808 808 3555
- Enter your postcode on the Citizens Advice website to find your local bureau.
