Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance

This section contains further information about Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) benefits.

If you would like to speak to someone directly, please contact your local Social Work office, the Welfare Benefits Service or your local Citizen's Advice Bureau (this link will take you to an external website). Welfare Benefits have produced an Information for Carers (pdf file, 79Kb) fact sheet which contains additional information you may find helpful regarding benefits for yourself and the person you care for.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

DLA is intended to assist people who need help because of their illness or disability, and whose need for help has arisen before the age of 65 years. You must claim before your 65th birthday. There are two different components to DLA and entitlement may be to either or both of these.

Care Component
This is for people who need help with personal care and/or supervision to safeguard themselves or others. It is payable at different rates depending on the level of care and/or supervision that the person needs.

The higher rate is payable to a person who needs help and/or supervision either throughout the day or during the night.
The lower rate is payable to someone who needs help 'for a significant portion of the day' (around one hour in total), or who is aged 16 or over and is unable to prepare a cooked meal on their own.

Mobility Component
This is for people who have difficulty walking or visiting unfamiliar places. It is payable at two rates depending on the nature of the difficulty that the person has with getting about.

The higher rate is payable to someone who satisfies the following conditions:
- unable to walk
- virtually unable to walk because of severe discomfort
- the exertion required to walk poses a risk to health
- blind and deaf
- a double amputee (or without both feet)
- is severely mentally impaired and has severe behavioural problems and meets the criteria for the highest rate of Care Component.
The lower rate is payable to people who are able to walk but who require guidance or supervision from another person most of the time when walking out of doors e.g. someone who is visually impaired and who has no other walking disability.

DLA for children under 16

If the person you look after is under 16 years of age, the tests for DLA are slightly different. Their care and/or supervision needs, and/or their needs for guidance or supervision with walking, must be significantly more than those of a child the same age and sex who is not disabled.

DLA Mobility Component at the higher rate is payable from the child's 3rd birthday. The lower rate component is payable only from the child's 5th birthday.

Other rules for DLA

In most cases the person has to show that they have required the amount of care or supervision, or had difficulty walking, for at least three months. In addition, they must be likely to continue needing this level of help for at least a further six months.

Attendance Allowance (AA)

Attendance Allowance is a benefit paid to people who claim after their 65th birthday and who need help because of illness or disability. It is similar to DLA but it is only paid in respect of help with care. There is no mobility allowance for people whose difficulty with walking starts after their 65th birthday.

AA is payable at two rates:

The higher rate is payable to a person who needs help and/or supervision both during the day and throughout the night.
The lower rate of is payable to someone who needs help and/or supervision either during the day or throughout the night.

Other rules for AA

The person must show that they have needed care and/or supervision for at least six months. It is not necessary to show how long they are likely to continue needing care.

How to claim DLA or AA

Both benefits are claimed using a 'self-assessment' form. Claim packs are available from the Social Security Office or by calling the Benefits Enquiry Line on FREEPHONE 0800 882200. The form will be stamped on the day it is issued and you will have six weeks in which to return it. Your claim will then be treated as if it had been made on the earlier date. Claim packs are also available from local Social Security offices and from Citizens Advice Bureaux, although if you use one of these forms, the date of your claim will be the date that the Disability Benefits Centre receives your form.

Claiming DLA or AA under the 'Special Rules'

If the person you are caring for is terminally ill, there are special rules for claiming DLA Care Component and AA to ensure that their claim is dealt with as soon as possible. 'Terminal illness' is defined to mean that the person's death can be reasonable expected in the next six months. Their GP or consultant should be asked to complete a DSI500 report to send with the DLA or AA claim form.

If the person satisfies the 'Special Rules' there is no qualifying period before the benefit can be paid, and the higher rate of DLA Care Component or AA will be paid for the remainder of that person's life.

Reviews and appeals

If the claim is refused, or you feel that the award has not been made at the correct rate, you can ask for a revision of the decision. If this is unsuccessful, you have a right to appeal to an independent Disability Appeal Tribunal. The time limits for requesting a revision or an appeal is one month, so you should not delay. A supersession can be requested if the person's care or supervision needs have changed since the award was made.

For more information and advice contact your local Social Work office, the Welfare Benefits Service or your local Citizen's Advice Bureau (this link will take you to an external website).