Your Rights

Benefits for children

Summary: Information about Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and other benefits for blind or partially sighted children.

• Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Other benefits
• Further information

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Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

DLA has two components: a care component and a mobility component. Children with sight problems can qualify for one or both of the DLA components, depending on their age and the extent of their care and mobility needs. When claiming DLA for a child with sight problems, it is vital to show that the child needs more help and / or supervision than a sighted child of the same age would need.

How to claim DLA for your child

Telephone the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Benefits Enquiry Line for free on 0800 88 22 00 and ask for a claim pack - there is a special form for children. The date you request a pack will be logged as the date of your claim. DLA cannot be backdated so do not delay your claim.

Be sure to give plenty of detail on the form about your child’s problems and special needs. Some people are turned down for benefit because they don’t give enough information. Describe all of the extra help that your child needs. Emphasise the extra attention that is needed, and at what times, throughout the day. The information below should help.

Sometimes extra evidence can be helpful. For example, you may want to keep a diary for a few days recording every occasion when your child needs extra help. You could also include a letter from a teacher and / or classroom assistant describing the extra attention the child needs at school.

If your child is awarded DLA care component at the middle or highest rate, you may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance as long as you earn no more than £95.00 a week after deductions. You may also be able to receive an increased amount of Child Tax Credit. Contact RNIB Welfare Rights Service (0845-766 9999 / brit@rnib.org.uk) for advice.

About the care component

This can be claimed from birth but in most cases the award cannot start until the baby is three months old. (If the baby is terminally ill, this three-month wait does not apply.)

Here are some examples of the additional needs that children with sight loss may have that can lead to entitlement to the care component.

Stimulation

Blind and partially sighted children will need more active stimulation to enable them to learn and develop because they may not be able to see objects around them. Non-standard intervention, for example introducing objects to your blind or partially sighted child, will be required. This can be treated as an attention need for DLA.

Communication

Developing communication skills is crucial for small children. A child with sight loss will need much more physical contact and verbal

reassurance to encourage development of language and personal relationships.

Extra help with dressing, bathing, feeding, etc

Children with sight problems are likely to need extra help with these personal care tasks.

Even if a sighted child of the same age would need some help, it is likely that a blind or partially sighted child will need extra help. For example, you may have to spoon-feed your child until a later age or your child may be less able to co-operate with dressing, bathing or feeding if s/he cannot see what is happening.

Development

Not all children develop at the same pace. However, it is possible to identify approximate ages by which children will have developed certain skills. Any additional help that a blind or partially sighted child requires to attain these various skills should be highlighted.

Schooling

Children with sight loss may encounter additional difficulties once they start school. For example, reading from wall boards or text books, describing maps or diagrams (which may be impossible to represent in tactile form), and guidance to and from school and within the school (young children will rarely have received long cane training). A statement of special educational needs can be used to support the DLA claim.

Supervision

All very young children require supervision. Children with sight loss will require a greater level of supervision due to the increased risk of danger.

Medication

Some children have to be given eye drops or other medication several times a day.

Care component rates

Lowest rate £17.75

The lowest rate of care component can be paid if the child needs extra help or attention for a “significant portion” of the day. A significant portion means about an hour, which may be a single period or may be spilt into shorter periods.

Middle rate £44.85

To qualify for the middle rate you must show that extra attention or supervision is needed throughout the day. In other words, there are many occasions at different times of day when the child needs attention or supervision that a sighted / able-bodied child of the same age would not need.

Highest rate £67.00

If your child needs extra help or supervision during the night as well as during the day, then he / she may be able to get the highest rate of DLA care component. For example, your child may need to be repeatedly taken to the toilet, or be given medication during the night. The time taken to settle a child back to sleep can also be counted.

If visual impairment is your child’s only disability then it is unlikely that s/he would qualify for the highest rate of DLA care component.

About the mobility component

DLA mobility component has two rates. The lower rate can be claimed three months before the child's fifth birthday. All parents of blind or partially sighted children should consider applying for this.

If your child meets the qualifying conditions for the higher rate of the mobility component, this can be claimed from three months before the child's third birthday.

Mobility component rates

Lower rate £17.75

This is paid to people who need guidance or supervision when walking out of doors in unfamiliar places. In the case of a child, you must show that s/he needs more guidance and / or supervision than a sighted / able-bodied child of the same age would need. For example, all young children need help when crossing busy roads but a blind child will need more help in recognising when it is safe to cross the road; and they will need attention to avoid bumping into obstacles on the pavement.

Higher rate £46.75

Your child will not be able get the higher rate of the mobility component unless s/he has an additional disability.

The higher rate can be paid to children who are unable, or virtually unable, to walk because of a physical disability. For example people who have problems with their legs or feet, or feel pain or discomfort after walking a short distance.

The higher rate can also be paid to children who are deafblind. It can sometimes be paid to people who are "severely mentally impaired" and have behavioural problems.

Asking the decision maker to look at a decision again

If you are unhappy with the decision about your child’s DLA application you can either ask the DWP to reconsider their decision or you can submit an appeal to an independent tribunal. If the DWP reconsiders the decision but you are still unhappy with the outcome, you still have the right to make an appeal. The time limit for asking for an appeal or a reconsideration is one month from the date on the decision letter.

If you want the decision maker to reconsider the decision you can telephone the Disability Benefits Unit (DBU) to request this, but it is advisable to follow this up in writing. If you wish to submit an appeal you should ask the DBU for an appeal form, GL24.

If your child is already getting the lowest rate of the care component, you may want to consider asking for the decision to be looked at again if you believe s/he should get the middle rate care component, ie needs substantially more help at frequent intervals throughout the day.

Certain grounds need to apply, eg if your child’s vision or other disabilities have got worse, or if the decision maker did not know all the material facts when they made the original decision.

Contact the DBU and explain you would like your child's award to be reviewed. Explain why you think their decision is wrong. It is likely that you will be asked to complete an up-to-date form. You can also send evidence to support your case, such as a letter from your child's teacher, a social worker or a doctor.

Warning: if you ask for your child's DLA award to be reviewed, the decision maker can increase, decrease or maintain the original award, both of the care and mobility components.

For advice about appealing against a decision, or about asking for your child’s existing award to be reviewed, contact RNIB Welfare Rights Service for further advice about how to appeal.

Other benefits

If neither you nor your partner are working full-time, you may be entitled to Income Support or income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

If you, or your partner, are working more than 16 hours a week but your income is fairly low, you may be able to claim Working Tax Credit (WTC).

Child Tax Credit

Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a means-tested benefit for families with dependent children under 16 (or under 20 and in full-time non-advanced education). This can be claimed whether the claimant / partner is in, or out of work. It is paid directly to the main carer in the family. It includes a disabled child element (for each child who gets DLA or is registered blind) and a severely disabled child element (for each child who gets DLA highest rate care component).

HM Revenue and Customs administers WTC and CTC - visit their website or phone 0845 300 3900 to request a claim pack.

Health benefits

Children under 16 (or under 19 and in full-time non-advanced education) qualify for free prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and help with the cost of glasses.

The Social Fund

If you or your partner are claiming:

• Income Support, income-based Jobseekers’ Allowance
• or Child Tax Credit (with more than just the family element)
• or an award of Working Tax Credit (which includes the disability or severe disability element)
• or Pension Credit

You may be entitled to a Maternity Grant of £500. You can claim this no earlier than 11 weeks before the week the baby is expected, and no later than three months after s/he is born.

If you are claiming Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit, it may be possible to get a community care grant or budgeting loan to help pay for essential items for your child or family. Contact RNIB Welfare Rights Service or your local Jobcentre Plus office for advice on maternity grants, community care grants or budgeting loans. Alternatively go to the DWP website page about Community Care Grants.

You can also apply to the Family Fund for lump sums for items arising for the care of a severely disabled child.

Television license

If your child is registered blind, you are entitled to a 50 per cent discount on the cost of a television license. The license will need to be in the child's name but there is no age limit. You will need to show your child's registration certificate when you renew your license. For further information, contact the TV Licensing team on 0870 241 6468.

Community care services

Assistance and support can be obtained from your local social services department. Your child does not have to be registered blind or partially sighted to get this help, although some other types of help may be conditional on this. Please see Social Care and What are the benefits of registration? for further information.

Further information

Details of all the benefits and issues described here and any other aspects of the social security system can be obtained from

RNIB Welfare Rights Service
Telephone: 0845 766 9999 / 020 7388 2525
Email: brit@rnib.org.uk

Please note that we can only give advice about benefits for people with sight loss and their carers or dependants.

You can also get advice about benefits for people with disabilities from DWP Benefits Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00.

Help make a difference to the lives of others who are living with sight loss by joining RNIB as a member. By adding your voice to ours, we can make a significant difference through our campaigning work. Call the RNIB Membership team to find out more on 0870 787 007.

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Content author: brit@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/11/2008 11:13