DLA for autistic children: a plain-English guide (2026/27)

What is DLA, and can my autistic child get it?

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children is a benefit for children under 16 who need much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability, or who have difficulty walking (GOV.UK). It is tax-free (GOV.UK, DLA rates), and you can claim it whether you are in or out of work (GOV.UK, DLA eligibility).

DLA has two parts. Your child can get one or both:

• the care component, for children who need extra help or supervision
• the mobility component, for children who need help getting about

There is no rule that autistic children do or do not get DLA. It depends on your child's needs, not on their diagnosis. The charity Contact says "You don't need to wait for a formal diagnosis to make a claim", but you must show that your child "needs substantially more care or supervision than other children of the same age" (Contact). Scope agrees: "Your child does not need a diagnosis to claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA)" (Scope). So you can claim while you wait for an autism assessment. The care component can be paid from 3 months old (Contact).

GOV.UK says your child must also (DLA eligibility):

• be under 16
• have had their difficulties for at least 3 months, and be expected to have them for at least 6 months
• live in England or Wales when you claim, and meet residence rules that depend on their age

A parent, or someone who looks after the child as a parent, can claim. That includes step-parents, guardians, grandparents, foster parents and older brothers or sisters (GOV.UK, how to claim).

How much is DLA in 2026/27?

In 2026/27, DLA pays between £30.30 and £194.60 a week, depending on which rates your child gets. It is usually paid every 4 weeks, on a Tuesday (GOV.UK, DLA rates).

The amounts come from GOV.UK's rates page, and the descriptions from its eligibility page. The highest care rate is also paid to children nearing the end of their life. The most a child can get is the highest care rate plus the higher mobility rate: £194.60 a week.

Can my autistic child get the mobility part?

Possibly. The lower mobility rate can be paid from age 5, and the higher rate from age 3. If you claim DLA for a child younger than this, GOV.UK says you should be sent a claim pack 6 months before they turn 3 and 6 months before they turn 5 (GOV.UK, DLA eligibility).

For the lower rate, Contact says children need "extra guidance or supervision out of doors" (Contact, higher rate mobility). On the form, describe what happens when you are out: near roads, in shops, or somewhere new.

For the higher rate, Contact explains that an autistic child can qualify in two ways: by being "virtually unable to walk", or through the rules on "a severe mental impairment and behavioural problems". For the second route, your child must meet all five of these legal tests (Contact):

1. They are entitled to the highest rate of the care component.
2. They have "a state of arrested development, or incomplete physical development of the brain" with "a severe impairment of intelligence and social functioning". Contact says case law (decision CDLA/1678/1997) accepted that a diagnosed autistic child meets the "arrested development" part.
3. Their behaviour is disruptive, and the disruption is extreme.
4. Another person regularly has to physically restrain them to prevent injury to themselves or others, or damage to property.
5. Their behaviour is so unpredictable that someone has to be present and watching over them whenever they are awake.

This is legal wording, and it can be hard to read about your child in these terms. Describe what really happens, and get advice if you are unsure.

How do I claim DLA for my child?

Start as soon as you can, because DLA cannot be backdated (GOV.UK, how to claim).

1. Phone for a form. Call the DLA helpline on 0800 121 4600 (Relay UK: 18001 then 0800 121 4600), Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. You can also print the form from GOV.UK.
2. Note the date you called. If you phoned for the form and return it within 6 weeks, your claim starts from the date of your call. Otherwise it starts on the date the form arrives. Contact suggests phoning rather than downloading the form for this reason (Contact).
3. Keep a diary for a week before you fill in the form (see the tips below).
4. Fill in the form with real examples.
5. Add any reports you already have, such as letters from your health visitor, GP, nursery, school or therapists. Do not delay your claim waiting for new ones.
6. Copy everything, then post it before the 6 weeks are up.
7. Look out for a letter. You should get one confirming your claim within 3 weeks.

How do I fill in the DLA form?

Write as if the reader has never met your child, because they haven't. Contact points out that the decision is made "by someone who has never seen your child" (Contact, tips on the DLA form). These tips come from Contact's guide:

1. Keep a diary for a week first. Note every time your child needs help or watching, day and night: dressing, eating, toileting, washing, keeping safe, calming down, getting to sleep and waking in the night.
2. Describe the hard days. If your child's needs change from day to day, use "bad days" and "better days" rather than "good days". Describe the bad days fully.
3. Say how often your child needs help, not how often they get it. For example, "needs someone with her every time she uses the toilet, about 6 times a day".
4. Compare your child with children the same age. Contact says "the younger your child is, the more important it is" to explain how the supervision they need is greater than, or different from, another child of their age.
5. Include the nights. Contact counts night as the time from when you go to bed until you get up, so include times you stay up late or get up to help your child.
6. Give examples, not just ticks. Use the extra text boxes (Contact points to pages 19, 34 and 37 of the child form) and add extra sheets if you need them.
7. Take your time. Contact suggests not trying to finish the form in one go, and reading it all the way through before you start writing.

The charity Cerebra also publishes a free step-by-step guide to the DLA form (Cerebra).

What happens after I send the form?

You should get a letter confirming your claim within 3 weeks, and later a decision letter (GOV.UK, how to claim). We could not find an official figure for how long decisions are taking in 2026.

If you disagree with the decision, including the rates awarded:

1. Ask for a mandatory reconsideration. This means asking the Department for Work and Pensions to look at the decision again. You usually need to ask within one month of the date of the decision (GOV.UK, mandatory reconsideration).
2. Appeal if you still disagree. You can appeal to the Social Security and Child Support Tribunal within one month of getting the reconsideration decision. It is free to appeal (GOV.UK, appeal a benefit decision).

Once your child gets DLA, tell the Department for Work and Pensions about changes, such as a change in your child's needs, a stay in hospital, going abroad for more than 4 weeks, or starting at a residential school (GOV.UK, changes to report).

What else can DLA help us get?

A DLA award can help your family get other support, and the rate matters. Amounts are for 2026/27.

A DLA award letter is also accepted as evidence for the CEA Card for cinemas, from age 5 (CEA Card), and for a free carer pass for Merlin theme park annual passholders (Merlin Annual Pass). Our guide to money and practical help covers these and more.

What happens when my child turns 16?

At 16, DLA is replaced by Personal Independence Payment (PIP). Shortly after your child's 16th birthday, they will get a letter inviting them to apply. DLA stops unless they apply by the date in the letter. If they do apply, DLA carries on until the PIP claim has been assessed. If your child cannot manage their own benefits, you can apply to be their appointee (GOV.UK, when your child turns 16).

In 2026/27, PIP pays £76.70 or £114.60 a week for daily living, and £30.30 or £80 a week for mobility. It is tax free, and GOV.UK says "The amount you get is not affected by your income or savings" (GOV.UK, PIP rates). Rules and rates can change, so check GOV.UK as your child nears 16.

Where can I get help with a DLA claim?

You do not have to fill in the form alone. Free help includes:

• Contact: a free helpline on 0808 808 3555 for families with a disabled child anywhere in the UK, including help with benefits (Contact).
• Cerebra: a free step-by-step guide to the DLA form (Cerebra).
• Citizens Advice: the Adviceline in England is 0800 144 8848 (Citizens Advice).
• The DLA helpline: 0800 121 4600, for forms and questions about your claim.