Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit for people with disabilities who need help with their personal care, need supervision and/or need help with getting around.
Many people with mental health problems are unaware that they can claim this benefit but a DLA claim can significantly improve the quality of a claimant's life.

DLA is normally paid on top of Income Support and other benefits and it is non- means tested.

To receive DLA, you must:

  • Have needed help for three months
  • Be between 16 and 65 years of age.

Help and advice...

  • Rethink has produced a factsheet on Disability Living Allowance – you can find it in the information section on www.rethink.org
  • A self-help guide 'Claiming Disability Living Allowance: A self-help guide for disabled people aged 16-64' is produced by the Disability Alliance. They also have a Right Advice Line. You can contact them by ‘phoning 020 7247 8776, emailing office.da@dial.pipex.com, looking at their website: http://www.disabilityalliance.org or writing to: Disability Alliance, Universal House, 88-94 Wentworth Street, London E1 7SA.