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Disability Benefits – information for young people

Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

There may several benefits that you can get if you are a young person who is sick or disabled. In some cases, your parents will make the claim for you.

You might get:

  • Employment and Support Allowance (see below)
  • Disability Living Allowance (see below)
  • Disablement Benefit (see below)
  • Compensation from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (see below).  

To get Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) , you must be 16 or over. You must be unable to work because of sickness or disability. Some sick or disabled young people qualified for Incapacity Benefit.  If you get this, you will carry on receiving it, but for new claims, ESA replaces Incapacity Benefit.   

Disability Living Allowance is a benefit to help you pay for personal care and the costs of getting around. It does not matter whether you are working or not. It is up to you what you use the money for.

There are special rules about young people under 16.  You cannot make the claim in your own name. You must have more care needs than someone of your age who is not disabled (and you must be over the age of three or five for your mobility needs to be taken into account).  The extra conditions do not count once you have reached the age of 16.

More information about Disability Living Allowance. 

If you were injured at work, you might get Disablement Benefit.  It does not matter how old you are.

More information about Disablement Benefit. 

If you were a member of the armed forces when you were injured, you might get money from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. Your age might affect how much money you will get.

More information about the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme. 

Further help

The Turn2us Benefit Checker can help you find out if you qualify for Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance.

For general enquiries about benefits for disabled people, call the Benefit Enquiry Helpline on: 0800 882 200.

Directgov, the government website, has more information for young disabled people (link opens in a new window)

Find an adviser tool.

See Long-term illness and disability

Frequently asked questions relating to disability

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This information has been produced by Citizens Advice. 

Last updated: 12 May 2009