Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a social security benefit in the United Kingdom paid to eligible claimants who have personal care and/or mobility needs as a result of a mental or physical disability. It is tax-free, non-means-tested and non-contributory. The benefit was introduced in 1992, integrating the former benefits Mobility Allowance and Attendance Allowance and introducing two additional lower rates of benefit. Prior to 2013 it could be claimed by UK residents aged under sixty five years. However, the benefit was phased-out for the majority of claimants between 2013 and 2015 and replaced by a new Personal Independence Payment. DLA can still be claimed by children under sixteen and can still be received by existing claimants who were aged sixty five or over on 8 April 2013.

DLA is restricted to people who fall into all of the following categories:

Usually, to qualify for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children the child must:

Children under the age of three.

Individuals can qualify for DLA whether or not they are working. Earnings do not affect the amount of DLA received. People who are terminally ill typically qualify for the highest rate of Care component of DLA under what is termed "special rules".

DLA care component is paid at one of three rates: lowest, middle and highest. From April 2015 the rates were:

Individuals are entitled to the lowest rate care component if they are so severely disabled that they:

Individuals are entitled to the middle rate care component if they are so severely disabled that they:

Individuals are entitled to the highest rate care component if they meet one of the day conditions and one of the night conditions for the middle rate care component.

DLA mobility component is paid at one of two rates: lower and higher. From April 2015 the rates were:

Individuals are entitled to the lower rate mobility component if they are so severely mentally or physically disabled that they cannot walk outdoors on an unfamiliar route without guidance or supervision from another person most of the time.

Individuals are entitled to the higher rate mobility component if they:-

Mobility allowances are structured to provide persons with disabilities with mechanical aids to their mobility, which may include wheelchairs, scooters, or automobiles.

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