What is Disability Living Allowance?
Disability Living Allowance is a benefit available to adults and children who:
- Need help with personal care, or need someone to offer them support, or
- Have problems getting about outside their home.
Depending on what sort of help you need, you can apply for both of the components or for just one of them. Care needs are paid at three rates and mobility needs are met at two rates. Your income and savings are not taken into account when you apply.
Disability Living Allowance rates - paid at different rates depending on how your disability affects you.
How to claim Disability Living Allowance?
How to claim if you have a terminal illness
It doesn't matter if you have no-one to give you all the help you need, you can still claim.
If you are aged 65 years or over, you cannot newly claim Disability Living Allowance but should claim Attendance Allowance - this is for help with care needs. If you start getting Disability Living Allowance before you are 65, you will carry on getting it afterwards as long as you continue to have enough care or support needs or walking difficulties.
Disability Living Allowance may also help you to get other benefits, or increased entitlements. Find out more in Benefits for Disabled People.
If you are unhappy with a decision about Disability Living Allowance you can appeal. Get advice.
If there is a change in your health or circumstances and you are already receiving Disability Living Allowance, get advice. If your condition has got worse, you may be entitled to a higher rate of Disability Living Allowance. However, if your condition improves then your Disability Living Allowance may stop or the rate may vary to a lower rate.
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Information Provider:
Manchester Advice
Date Written:
22 June 2009
Date Reviewed:
1 March 2010