Disability Living Allowance
Disability Living Allowance is made up of 2 Components – one for Care, one for Mobility. The benefit is paid if you are under 65 when you make your first claim & you have difficulties caring for yourself due to physical or mental health problems, &/or you have difficulties with your walking.
The Care Component has 3 rates of benefit:
- Higher rate – paid if you have frequent difficulties during the day & night time – currently £64.50 per week;
- Middle rate – paid if you have difficulties of a frequent nature during the day or night time – currently £43.15 per week;
- Lower rate – paid if you have difficulties for a significant portion of the day ie. around 1 hour a day, or your disabilities mean you are unable to prepare a cooked main meal for yourself – currently £17.10 per week.
It is difficulties with your bodily functions that are counted eg:
- getting in/out of bed;
- getting washed & dressed;
- moving around indoors;
- feeding yourself;
- managing your medication.
Difficulties with eyesight, hearing & communication can also be counted, but difficulties with shopping, housework, laundry and gardening cannot.
The Mobility Component has 2 rates of benefit:
- Higher rate – paid if:
- you are unable or virtually unable to walk, or
- the exertion required to walk would be a danger to your life, or
- your are blind & deaf, or
- you have no legs or feet, or
- you receive the highest rate of DLA Care and are severely mentally
impaired;
- Lower rate – paid if:
- you are able to walk but not without guidance or supervision from another person most of the time in places you are unfamiliar with.
If you are awarded Disability Living Allowance, you &/or your carer (if you have one) may also be entitled to other benefits.
You can apply for Disability Living Allowance by calling Dudley Council’s Benefits Shop on 01384 812639
or
Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 882200 – 8.30am-6.30pm Monday – Friday; 9am – 1pm Saturday
The Disability Benefits Service can deal with enquiries about claims once they have been made Telephone: 08457 123456.
