Benefits for disabled children

If you have a disabled child under 16, you may be able to claim a benefit called Disability Living Allowance (DLA).  DLA has two components. The mobility component may be paid if your child has problems with getting raround and the care component may be paid if they have care needs which are more than most children of their age. You cannot get the mobility component for a child under three.  There is no age requirement for the care component, but you cannot usually claim it for a baby under three months old. This is because your child must have had care needs or mobility problems for at least three months before they can be entitled to DLA, unless they are terminally ill. It can be difficult to claim DLA for a young child and it may help to get specialist advice.  

You should also be able to claim Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit for your child. You may get more Child Tax Credit if your child gets DLA, because there are extra elements of Child Tax Credit included in the calculation.

If you are a carer for your disabled child and they get the middle or higher rate care component of DLA, you may be able to get Carer’s Allowance.

You may also be able to get other benefits, for example, Housing Benefit or help with health costs. You could use the benefits adviser on Direct Gov or the benefits checker on Turn2us to see what other benefits you might be able to claim.

Working Families has a project for parents of disabled children who work or want to work, see Waving not Drowning.