Disability Living Allowance for a child: DLA rates & how to apply

If you have a child under 16 who has a disability or long-term health condition and you need help with the extra costs, you may be able to claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children.

DLA is a disability benefit that can get you between £29.20 and £187.45 a week which you can spend on anything you want. How much you can claim depends on the level of support your child needs.

To be eligible, your child must need more looking after than other children of the same age without a disability or have difficulties with mobility.

Your child must have had the condition or disability for a minimum of three months and you must expect it to last for six more months to qualify.

If your child is over the age of 16, they will not qualify. You must instead apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

This article details information about DLA rates and how they are calculated. You can also find out if your child is eligible for disability living allowance and how to apply.

How much is Disability Living Allowance for children?

DLA for children is a tax-free. It is a non-means tested benefit. This means that it does not matter how much you earn or how much you have in savings. Additionally, DLA does not reduce the amount you get from other benefits.

The DLA benefit is made up of two components: the ‘care component’ and the ‘mobility component’. You may be entitled to both components depending on your child’s needs.

The care component has three different rates: lower rate, middle rate and higher rate.

The mobility component has two rates: lower rate and higher rate.

Disability Living Allowance rates in 2025/26:

The weekly rates for the care component and the mobility component are:

Care component	Weekly amount
Lower rate	£29.20
Middle rate	£73.90
Higher rate	£110.40

Mobility component	Weekly amount
Lower rate	£29.20
Higher rate	£77.05

The DLA care component for a child

How much you will get for the care component depends on the level of care that your child needs due to their condition.

Your child will qualify for the lower care component rate of £29.20 if they need extra help with everyday tasks during some parts of the day, but not during the night.

You will be entitled to the middle rate of £73.90, if one of the following is true for your child:

1. Your child needs frequent care or constant supervision throughout the day or night
2. Your child gets renal dialysis at least twice a week

You will get the highest care component rate of £110.40, if:

1. Your child needs frequent or constant care and supervision throughout both day and night
2. Your child has been diagnosed with a terminal illness

The DLA mobility component for a child

Which rate you get depends on your child’s ability to walk and the level of support your child needs with mobility.

The lower rate can be paid from the age of five and the higher rate from the age of three.

You will get the lower mobility component rate of £29.20, if your child is able to walk but they need help/supervision when they are outdoors.

To be eligible, the following must apply:

1. Your child needs another person to help, guide or supervise them when they are in unfamiliar surroundings or walking a route they have never walked before
2. Your child requires more help to get around compared to other children of the same age without a disability or health condition

To qualify for the highest rate of the mobility component, £77.05 per week, your child must have severe difficulties or conditions. They include:

1. Your child cannot walk
2. Your child is only able to walk short distances without severe discomfort, such as being unable to walk to school due to the pain it would cause
3. If walking means your child’s condition would get much worse or make them very ill
4. Your child is blind or severely sight impaired
5. Your child is both blind and deaf and cannot walk outside without support from another person
6. Your child has no legs or feet

You will also get the highest rate of £77.05, if all of the below are true:

1. Your child has a severe learning disability or other mental impairment that has a significant effect on their intelligence and how they interact with others
2. Your child’s learning disability or mental impairment causes dangerous or disruptive behaviour and they need supervision to keep them from harming themselves and others
3. Your child is eligible for the highest rate of the care component

Applying for disability living allowance for a child

To claim Disability Living Allowance for a child, you need to be either their parent or look after them as if you are their parent.

If you live in England, Wales or Scotland you can apply for DLA by:

1. Calling the Disability Living Allowance Helpline on 0800 121 4600 (textphone: 0800 121 4523)
2. Download, print and fill out the DLA claim form

If you live in Northern Ireland, apply by:

1. Calling the Disability and Carers Service on 0800 587 0912 (textphone: 0800 012 1574).
2. Download, print and fill out the claim form for DLA in Northern Ireland

You can have the claim form in an alternative format. If you need it in braille, large print or audio CD, call the helplines for instructions.