Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a monthly, tax-free benefit for disabled people, which is gradually being replaced by Personal Independence Payment. 

What is Disability Living Allowance?

Disability Living Allowance is a monthly payment to help with care and mobility needs if you're living with a disability. 

It's a tax-free, monthly payment that is paid at different rates depending on the level of help you need. 

You can't make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance. You'll instead need to apply for Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance, depending on your age. 

Am I eligible for Disability Living Allowance?

You can claim Disability Living Allowance if:

• you were born before 8 April 1948 and are already currently claiming DLA
• you're claiming on behalf of a disabled person under the age of 16.

To continue to claim DLA you will need to show that you meet the criteria for either or both of the two components – the ‘care component’ and the ‘mobility component’

If you don't fall into one of those categories, you should make a claim for a different benefit depending on your age - either Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance.  

Which disability benefit should I be claiming?

If you haven’t already claimed DLA then you’ll need to find out which benefit you should claim, as there are different ones depending on your age.

If you're over 16 but under State Pension Age

You should make a claim for Personal Independence Payment. Find out more about Personal Independence Payment. 

If you're over State Pension Age

You should make a claim for Attendance Allowance. Find out more about Attendance Allowance.

How much Disability Living Allowance will I get?

If you're already claiming DLA and want to know how much you should be getting, here are the weekly payment rates from April 2022.

Disability Living Allowance - Care Component 

You might be eligible for the care component if you require help with everyday tasks, such as cooking or dressing. You'll be assessed on the help you need rather than any help you may or may not be getting. 

Disability Living Allowance - Mobility Component

You might be eligible for the mobility component if you have severe difficulties walking without assistance.

What happens if I already claim Disability Living Allowance?

If you’re already claiming DLA, you may be wondering about what will happen as the benefit is replaced. It all depends on your age:

• If you were born on or before 8 April 1948 you can continue to receive DLA as long as you still have care or mobility needs.
• If you were born after 8 April 1948, then you will be reassessed for Personal Independence Payment instead.

If you need to move over to Personal Independence Payment, you’ll get a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about this.

If your circumstances change 

If you already claim Disability Living Allowance and your circumstances change you might want your award to be reassessed. What happens next depends on your age, as outlined above. If you contact the DWP to report this change, you might be asked to make a claim for Personal Independence Payment instead.  

Once you're invited to make this switch you'll have 4 weeks to do claim Personal Independence Payment. This process can't be reversed, and if you fail to claim your DLA award will also be ended.

Before contacting the DWP to have your claim reassessed it's a good idea to get independent advice to help make the best decision for you.