Understand Your Disability Benefits and Support Options
Discover detailed insights into key disability benefits like Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, and Attendance Allowance, designed to support your needs.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
PIP helps with extra costs caused by long-term illness or disability, providing financial support to enhance daily living and mobility. Eligibility for PIP is based on how you are affected by a condition, not on the condition itself. This benefit is for people aged 16 up to state pension age.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
DLA offers financial assistance for children up to the age of 16 who require help with personal care or mobility due to disability. Request a form over the telephone so that if your application is successful, it can be backdated to the day that you called.
Attendance Allowance
This benefit supports people over state pension age who need help with personal care because of illness or disability. If you are already in receipt of PIP once you reach state pension age, you do not have to transfer to Attendance Allowance.
Hidden disabilities
Understanding how hidden conditions such as mental health disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions meet the criteria for disability benefits can be particularly challenging. These conditions often lack visible symptoms, making it difficult to demonstrate the extent of impairment to benefit assessors. Moreover, the fluctuating nature of symptoms and the subjective experience of pain or distress complicate the evaluation process. The criteria for disability benefits typically require clear evidence of functional limitations, yet mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions manifest in diverse and sometimes subtle ways, requiring comprehensive documentation and expert assessments. This complexity can create barriers for individuals seeking support, underscoring the need for greater awareness and refined evaluation methods.
What are Disability Benefits and who qualifies?
Find clear, concise answers to common questions about disability benefits, eligibility, and application processes to support your journey.
What is Personal Independence Payment (PIP)?
PIP helps with extra costs caused by long-term health conditions or disabilities for those aged 16 to 64.
Who can claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA)?
DLA supports children under 16 with care or mobility needs due to disability or health conditions.
What is Attendance Allowance and who is eligible?
Attendance Allowance offers financial help for individuals over 65 who need assistance with personal care.
How do I apply for these disability benefits?
We advise to call the numbers on the government websites to request the forms for the specific benefit you believe you may be eligible for. The forms are sent date stamped and provided you return the completed form by the deadline, successful applications are backdated to the day that you requested the form. The application forms for DLA and Attendance Allowance are available online in PDF form, on the gov.uk site.
Can I receive more than one disability benefit at a time?
In some cases, individuals may qualify for multiple benefits depending on their circumstances.
The benefits listed on this page are non means tested, and an individual can only be eligible for one of these at a time, depending on which age bracket they fit in to.
Children in receipt of DLA will be invited to apply for PIP around their 16th birthday. If the application for PIP is not completed, the DLA will stop once they are 16.
Adults already in receipt of PIP when they reach state pension age will not be expected to transition to Attendance Allowance.
Where can I find more information about disability benefits?
Visit official government pages linked here for detailed guidance and support resources.
Learn more about eligibility and how to apply for PIP here: https://www.gov.uk/pip
Learn more about DLA here: https://www.gov.uk/disability-living-allowance-children
Learn more about eligibility and how to apply for Attendance Allowance here: https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance
How can I get help to complete my application?
The application forms for PIP, AA, and DLA are long, complicated and time consuming. It can be especially difficult to complete them if you or your family member have a “hidden” disability as it is often not obvious how the criteria is met or how the questions are relevant to a specific condition. It is very important that you have support to ensure you understand exactly how your condition affects your ability to carry out activities of daily living. You can access free support from the Citizens Advice Bureau, or Online at Turn2us. I offer a free initial consultation where I can advise you on eligibility and things to consider for your particular application.
Explore Disability Benefits and Support
Learn about Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, and Attendance Allowance to find the support you need.
Personal Independence Payment
Understand eligibility, application process, and how this benefit aids daily living and mobility.
Disability Living Allowance
Discover how this allowance assists children and adults with care and mobility needs.
Attendance Allowance
Find out who qualifies and how this benefit supports individuals over 65 with care requirements.
Start Your Journey to Disability Support Now
Discover how disability benefits like Personal Independence Payment, Disability Living Allowance, and Attendance Allowance can improve your quality of life. Learn about eligibility and how to apply with our straightforward guidance.