DLA and PIP

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is the main benefit paid to children who have care needs over and above those of a child of the same age without a disability. It is a non means–tested benefit which means you can claim it regardless of your financial situation.

You can get between £28.70 and £108.55 in DLA. DLA has two parts (care component – paid at one of three rates and mobility component paid at one of two rates, depending on your child’s needs) and either or both parts can be claimed – you only have to do one application.

If you are in doubt about whether to apply for DLA or not, please contact us for advice.

You can get a DLA claim pack, (specify whether for a child under 16 or over 16), from the Benefits Enquiry Line, Telephone: 0800 121 4600. They will date stamp the form and you will then have 6 weeks to return the completed forms.

The benefits office will usually contact the child’s school so it is always advisable to have a word with the child’s class teacher as sometimes teachers are not always aware of the problems the children experience at home e.g. dressing, eating, getting up in the morning.

The current DLA rates are:

• Higher rate care – £108.55 per week
• Middle rate care – £72.65 per week
• Lower rate care – £28.70 per week

• Higher rate mobility – £75.75 per week
• Lower rate mobility – £28.70 per week

Personal Independence Payment

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is extra money to help you with everyday life if you’ve an illness, disability or mental health condition.

You can get it on top of Employment and Support Allowance or other benefits. Your income and savings do not affect eligibility for PIP.

To get PIP you must find it hard to do everyday tasks, or to get around because of a physical (or mental) condition. You must have found these things hard for 3 months and expect to continue to find them hard for at least another 9 months.

You must be at least 16 years old to get PIP.

There are 3 stages to claiming PIP:

1. Contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and fill in the PIP1 form – they can do this for you over the phone. The number is 0800 917 2222.
2. Fill in the ‘How your disability affects you’ form. You have the option of choosing a paper form by post or getting an email which will contain a link to an online form.
3. You will be required to go to a medical assessment.

It can take up to 6 months from when you first contact the DWP to when you get your first payment. If the DWP decide you can get PIP, they’ll pay you the money you should have got from the date you started your claim.

The current PIP rates are:

• Daily living – standard rate – £72.65 per week
• Daily living – enhanced rate – £108.55 per week
• Mobility – standard rate – £28.70 per week
• Mobility – enhanced rate – £75.75 per week