Children and the care component.
The care component can be paid once a child is three months old.
In addition to the first five tests you must show that your child has needs that are "substantially in excess of the normal requirements of persons of the same age"
or
that those needs are substantial and which "younger persons may in normal physical or mental health may also have but which persons of the same age and in normal physical health would not have".
This means that as well as showing that your child has care needs arising from a disability, you must be able to demonstrate that these needs are substantially more than those of healthy children of the same age.
care needs can be either "attention" or "supervision"
"attention" is about needing help from someone else to do personal things that your child cannot do for him or herself
"supervision" is about needing someone else around to ensure that the risk of substantial danger is reduced.
Your child will be awarded the higher rate if his or her care needs require supervision or attention through the day and the night.
The middle rate is awarded to children whose needs occur either during the day or the night
The lower rate is awarded to those children whose needs occur at certain times of the day.
It is important to remember that your child will only be awarded DLA if you can show that his or her needs are much greater than other children of the same age and that those needs require substantially more supervision or attention.
Mobility Component
The mobility component of DLA is payable to children over the age of 5- the criteria for the higher rate is the same as for adults. See our notes section for more details. From April 2001, severely disabled children aged 3 and 4 who have difficulty walking may be able to get the higher rate of DLA for getting around.
Severely disabled is likely to be defined as-
Children with severe learning disabilities,
Children with the most severe forms of autism,
Children with severe cerebral palsy,
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Spinal muscular atrophy;
Congenital myopathies;
Spina bifida; Head injury;
Encephalitis/meningitis;
Spinal cord injury.
Limb Defects.
Brittle bone disease.
Arthritis.
Cardiac and respiratory disorders - particularly broncho-pulmonary dysplasia, but also in the most severely affected children with more common cardiorespiratory disorders e.g. congenital heart disease and asthma.
Sensory impairments - blindness, deafness and with particular problems with those children who are deaf/blind.
To qualify for the lower rate of the mobility component you will need to show that your child needs substantially more guidance than healthy children of the same age.
Carers' Allowance.
If your child gets the middle or highest rate of DLA then you may be entitled to Carers' Allowance.This is available for those who spend more than 35 hours per week in caring for one person. Carers' Allowance is not available for those who earn more than £95 per week (after certain deductions).
