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Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is money for people who have:
You must be under 65 when you first claim. If you are 65 or over, you may be able to make a claim for Attendance Allowance, but only for your care needs.
If you have care needs, it means you need help with things like getting dressed, going to the toilet or cooking amain meal for yourself. Or you must be looked after so you do not get hurt. It could include help outside the home. It does not matter if you do not actually get this help as long as you can show you need it.
If you have mobility needs, it means you cannot walk or you walk with difficulty. Or you cannot walk outdoors or on an unfamiliar route without help from someone else most of the time. It does not matter if you do not actually get this help, as long as you can show you need it.
It does not usually matter what your income or savings are.
DLA is paid into your bank or building society account or, in some cases, at a post office. It is paid as long as you have mobility or care needs. You can spend the money on what you want.
There are two parts of DLA.
One is the care part if you have care needs. This is paid at one of three different rates depending on how much care is needed - £70.35, £47.10 and £18.65 a week.
The other part is the mobility part which is paid at one of two different rates, depending on how difficult it is for you to get around - £49.10 or £18.65 a week. If you qualify for the higher rate of mobility part of DLA, you could also get help to buy or lease a car under the Motability scheme.
You can get either or both parts.
Disability Allowance is not a taxable benefit.
You can claim DLA by phoning the Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200 (0800 220674 in Northern Ireland). They will help you fill in form DLA1A over the phone.
Or you can get the form from your local Jobcentre Plus office or, in Northern Ireland, the Disability and Carers' Service or a local Social Security or Jobs and Benefits office.
Or you can also get a claim pack sent to you by filling in leaflet DS704, which you can get from post offices and local benefit offices.
You can also get the DLA form from the Directgov website (PDF file size 496kb) (link opens in a new window), or in Northern Ireland get the DLA form from the Department for Social Development’s website (link opens in a new window).
You can also claim DLA online on the Department for Work and Pensions website (link opens in a new window) or in Northern Ireland claim online on the Department for Social Development website (link open in new windows).
You cannot backdate a claim for DLA.
After your claim form is received, you may need to have a medical examination although this is unusual.
You must give your national insurance number and evidence of who you are, for example, a driving licence or birth certificate.
Part of the form must be filled in by someone who knows about your disability. This could be a friend, relative or carer.
The Turn2us Benefit Checker can help you find out if you qualify for DLA.
If you have a disabled child, see Claiming Disability Living Allowance for a disabled child.
For general enquiries about DLA, you can call the Benefit Enquiry helpline on: 0800 882 200.
Once you have made a claim for DLA, you can get further advice from the Disability Living Allowance/Attendance Allowance Helpline who should have access to your records. You can call them on: 08457 123 456.
The Citizens Advice (link opens in a new window) website can give you more information about claiming DLA.
Directgov, the government website, has more information about DLA (link opens in a new window).
Find an adviser tool.
See also Long-term illness/disability and Useful links.
Frequently asked questions relating to disability
This information has been produced by Citizens Advice.
Last updated: 12 May 2009
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