Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults
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1. Overview
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is being replaced by other benefits. If you already get DLA, your claim might end.
If you live in England or Wales, you鈥檒l get a letter telling you when this will happen and how you can apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
If you live in Scotland and you鈥檙e aged 18 or over, you鈥檒l get a letter telling you when you鈥檒l move to Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance.
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
If you鈥檙e under 16
You can only apply for DLA if you鈥檙e under 16 and you live in England or Wales.
If you live in Scotland, you can .
If you鈥檙e over 16
You cannot apply for DLA. You can apply for:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if you live in England or Wales and have not reached State Pension age
- if you live in Scotland and have not reached State Pension age
- Attendance Allowance if you鈥檙e State Pension age or older and do not get DLA
2. If you already get DLA
If you live in England or Wales
If you were born on or before 8 April 1948, you鈥檒l continue to get DLA as long as you鈥檙e eligible for it.
If you were born after 8 April 1948, your DLA will end. You鈥檒l get a letter telling you when that will happen. You鈥檒l continue to get DLA until that date.
Unless your circumstances change, you do not need to do anything until you get this letter.
If your DLA claim is ending
If your DLA is ending, you鈥檒l get a letter inviting you to apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). If you do apply, you鈥檒l need to do it within 28 days.
DLA will continue to be paid until at least 28 days after a decision is made about your PIP application.
If you鈥檙e eligible for PIP, you鈥檒l start getting PIP payments as soon as your DLA payments end.
If you live in Scotland
You will be automatically moved from DLA to Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance by the end of 2025.
You鈥檒l get a letter telling you when that will happen. You鈥檒l continue to get DLA until that date.
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Change of circumstances
You must contact the Disability Service Centre if your circumstances change, as this may affect how much DLA you get. For example:
- the level of help you need or your condition changes
- you go into hospital or a care home for more than 4 weeks
- a medical professional has said you鈥檙e nearing the end of life (for example, because of a life-limiting illness)
- you plan to go abroad for more than 4 weeks
- you鈥檙e imprisoned or held in detention
You must also contact the centre if:
- you change your name, address or bank details
- you want to stop receiving your benefit
- your doctor鈥檚 details change
You may be asked to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or be told you鈥檙e being after you report a change to your circumstances.
You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.
If you move from Scotland to England or Wales
If you get Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, you must:
-
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contact the Disability Service Centre to find out what benefit you may be eligible to claim
Your Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance will stop 13 weeks after you move. Call the Disability Service Centre as soon as you move to England or Wales. If you do not, your payments could be affected.
If you鈥檝e been paid too much
You may have to repay the money if you:
- did not report a change straight away
- gave wrong information
- were overpaid by mistake
Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment.
If you disagree with a decision
You can challenge a decision about your DLA claim. This is called asking for 鈥榤andatory reconsideration鈥�.
3. DLA rates
You can no longer apply for DLA. Check what other benefits you could apply for.
DLA is made up of 2 components (parts), the 鈥榗are component鈥� and the 鈥榤obility component鈥�. To get DLA you must be eligible for at least one of the components.
How much DLA you get depends on how your disability or health condition affects you.
If you need help looking after yourself
You might get the care component of DLA if you:
- need help with things like washing, dressing, eating, using the toilet or communicating your needs
- need supervision to avoid putting yourself or others in danger
- need someone with you when you鈥檙e on dialysis
- cannot prepare a cooked main meal
You can get this part if no one is actually giving you the care you need, or you live alone.
| Care component | Weekly rate | Level of help you need |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest | 拢28.70 | Help for some of the day or with preparing cooked meals |
| Middle | 拢72.65 | Frequent help or constant supervision during the day, supervision at night or someone to help you while on dialysis |
| Highest | 拢108.55 | Help or supervision throughout both day and night, or a medical professional has said you鈥檙e nearing the end of life |
If you get DLA and Constant Attendance Allowance, the care component of your DLA will be reduced by the amount of Constant Attendance Allowance you get.
If you have walking difficulties
You might get the mobility component of DLA if, when using your normal aid, you:
- cannot walk
- can only walk a short distance without severe discomfort
- could become very ill if you try to walk
You might also get it if you:
- have no feet or legs
- are assessed as 100% blind and at least 80% deaf and you need someone with you when outdoors
- are severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and get the highest rate of care for DLA
- need supervision most of the time when walking outdoors
- are certified as severely sight impaired and you were aged between 3 and 64 on 11 April 2011
| Mobility component | Weekly rate | Level of help you need |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | 拢28.70 | Guidance or supervision outdoors |
| Higher | 拢75.75 | You have any other, more severe, walking difficulty |
You must contact the Disability Service Centre if your circumstances change, for example your condition improves or you need more help.
Assessments
You might get a letter saying you need to attend an assessment to check the level of help you need. The letter explains why, and where you must go. Your benefit may be stopped if you do not go.
At the assessment, you鈥檒l be asked for identification. You can use a passport or any 3 of the following:
- birth certificate
- a full driving licence
- life assurance policy
- bank statements
How you鈥檙e paid
DLA is usually paid every 4 weeks on a Wednesday.
If your payment date is on a bank holiday, you will usually be paid before the bank holiday. After that you鈥檒l continue to get paid as normal.
All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into your bank or building society account.
Extra help
You could get extra benefits if you get Disability Living Allowance - check with the Disability Service Centre or the office dealing with your benefit.
If your disability or health condition stops you from working and you鈥檙e eligible for Universal Credit, you could get an extra amount on top of your Universal Credit standard allowance.
If you get DLA and you work, you might also be able to get the disability element of Working Tax Credit (up to 拢3,935 a year, or up to 拢5,640 if your disability is severe). Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to find out.