How to claim DLA for a child
Claiming DLA means filling in one claim pack and describing the help your child needs. This page walks through how to get the form, why phoning first can matter, what to write, how long a decision takes, and what to do if you disagree with the result.
Reviewed by SENlens. Last reviewed June 2026. Checked against GOV.UK, Citizens Advice, Contact and Cerebra.
Getting the claim form
You claim using the DLA1 Child claim pack. In England and Wales there is no way to complete the whole claim online. You can ask for a pack to be posted to you, or you can print the form yourself. To get a posted pack, phone the DLA helpline on 0800 121 4600. To print it, download the form from GOV.UK.
Why phoning first can matter
DLA cannot be backdated, so the date your claim starts from matters. If you phone the helpline and return the pack within 6 weeks, your claim is dated from the day you called. If you download and print the form instead, it is dated from the day the office receives the completed form. Phoning first can therefore mean you are paid from an earlier date.
What to write
The form asks about a typical day and the help your child needs. It helps to describe how often help is needed, rather than how often it actually gets given. Keeping a diary for a week before you fill in the form makes a typical day much easier to describe. For conditions that vary, write about both bad days and better days, so the picture is complete. Attach any reports or letters you already have, but do not delay sending the claim while you wait for new ones.
After you claim
There is no fixed legal deadline for a decision. In practice a decision usually takes around 3 months. The office may write to you, your child's doctor or another professional for more information while it looks at the claim.
If you disagree with the decision
If you think a decision is wrong, you can ask for it to be looked at again. This is called a Mandatory Reconsideration, and you should ask within 1 month of the date on the decision letter. It can be accepted up to 13 months late if you have a good reason. If you still disagree after the Mandatory Reconsideration, you can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support), within 1 month of the date on the Mandatory Reconsideration notice. There is more about challenging a decision on GOV.UK.
When your child turns 16
DLA for children is for under-16s. As your child approaches 16, DLA stops unless they apply for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) by the date in the letter they are sent. If they apply in time, DLA continues until the PIP claim has been assessed. Scotland works differently: there a young person can stay on Child Disability Payment up to age 18. There is more about PIP on GOV.UK.