Disability support for a child in the UK: DLA, CDP and Carer's Allowance

What DLA for children is

Disability Living Allowance for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who is under 16 and who has difficulties walking, or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability.

It is tax-free, it is not means-tested, and it is made up of two components, care and mobility. A child might qualify for one or both. GOV.UK summarises the range as between £30.30 and £194.60 a week depending on the level of help the child needs.

The rates, component by component

The care component has three weekly rates: lowest £30.30, middle £76.70, highest £114.60.

The mobility component has two: lower £30.30, higher £80.

These are the weekly rates GOV.UK publishes as at 9 August 2026, in the 2026 to 2027 benefit year. UK benefit rates are normally uprated each April, so check the current figure rather than quoting this page in a later year.

Which care rate applies

The lowest rate covers help for some of the day. The middle rate covers frequent help or continual supervision during the day, supervision at night, or someone to help while the child is on dialysis. The highest rate covers help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a child nearing the end of life.

Which mobility rate applies

The lowest rate is for a child who can walk but needs help or supervision outdoors. The highest rate is for a child who cannot walk, can only walk a short distance without severe discomfort, could become very ill if they try to walk, or who is blind or severely sight impaired.

The two time rules that decide eligibility

This is the part that catches families who apply too early. The child must have had these difficulties for at least 3 months and be expected to have them for at least 6 months more.

A child nearing the end of life, for example because of a life-limiting illness, does not need to have had the difficulties for 3 months, and there is a different, faster claim route. If a medical professional has said your child might have 12 months or less to live, contact the Disability Living Allowance helpline straight away.

Age limits on the mobility component

The mobility component has its own age gates. The lowest rate requires the child to be 5 or over, and the highest rate requires the child to be 3 or over. If your child is younger than that when you claim, you should be sent a claim pack 6 months before they turn 3 and 6 months before they turn 5, so that you can apply then.

Scotland is a different system

If your child lives in Scotland you apply for Child Disability Payment from Social Security Scotland instead of DLA. The component structure and weekly rates match: care at £30.30, £76.70 and £114.60, mobility at £30.30 and £80.

Two Scottish differences worth knowing. Children 3 months old or older can get the care component, and a child with a terminal illness gets the care component from birth. Children getting the highest care component rate also get Child Winter Heating Payment.

If you move between Scotland and England or Wales, act quickly. DLA continues for up to 13 weeks after a move to Scotland, and you must make a new claim in the destination system, or payments can be affected.

Carer's Allowance, the piece people miss

If you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a child who gets the middle or highest care rate of DLA, you might qualify for Carer's Allowance, currently £86.45 a week as published by GOV.UK on 9 August 2026.

Families routinely claim DLA and never look at Carer's Allowance, because the DLA award letter does not shout about it. It is a separate claim. Carer's Allowance can also affect other benefits in the household, so check the interaction before claiming.

How DLA is paid

DLA is usually paid every 4 weeks on a Tuesday, into a bank or building society account. If a payment date falls on a bank holiday you will usually be paid before it.

What we cannot tell you here

Whether your child will be awarded a particular rate depends on a decision maker's assessment of the level of help they need, and we cannot predict it. Local authority services, education support and the Northern Ireland arrangements each sit outside this page and have their own routes.

The claim route differs by nation: England and Wales through the DLA claim form or the Disability Living Allowance helpline, Scotland through Social Security Scotland. Apply as soon as the 3-month condition is met, and keep a copy of everything you send.

How to claim

To claim DLA for a child you need to be their parent, or look after them as if you are their parent, which includes step-parents, guardians, grandparents, foster parents and older siblings. In England and Wales you can apply by printing and filling in the DLA claim form, or by phoning the Disability Living Allowance helpline on 0800 121 4600 and asking for a printed form. Relay UK and a British Sign Language video relay service are available, and the line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

What happens at 16

DLA for children stops at 16, and your child moves into the adult system with a different payment and a different claimant, which in most cases is your child rather than you. Start reading about that transition well before the birthday rather than after it.

Reporting changes

You must report changes in your child's condition or care needs, because both increases and decreases can change the award, and an overpayment created by an unreported change is recoverable. If your child moves between Scotland and England or Wales, report it immediately: DLA continues for up to 13 weeks after a move to Scotland, and a new claim in the destination system is required.