DLA Applications: How Tediverse Can Help - Complete Guide
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children is a tax-free benefit that helps with the extra costs of raising a disabled child. For families of neurodivergent children, DLA can provide crucial financial support to cover additional care needs, mobility support, and related expenses.
This guide explains how to apply for DLA and demonstrates how Tediverse can help you gather compelling evidence to support your application.
Understanding DLA for Children
What is DLA?
DLA is a benefit for children under 16 who need extra help because of a disability or health condition. It has two components:
Care Component: Helps with personal care needs
- Lower rate: Help needed for some of the day or night
- Middle rate: Frequent help or continual supervision during the day, or continual supervision at night
- Higher rate: Help needed throughout both day and night
Mobility Component: Helps with getting around
- Lower rate: Can walk but needs guidance or supervision outdoors
- Higher rate: Cannot walk or has severe difficulty walking, or is blind/deaf
Eligibility Criteria
Your child may be eligible if they:
- Are under 16 years old
- Have a disability or health condition
- Need extra care, supervision, or help getting around
- Have needed this help for at least 3 months and are likely to need it for at least 6 more months
The Application Process
Step 1: Gathering Evidence
Strong evidence is crucial for a successful DLA application. You need to demonstrate:
- Your child’s specific needs and difficulties
- How these needs affect daily life
- The level of care and supervision required
- The impact on your child’s ability to get around
What Evidence to Gather:
- Medical reports and diagnoses
- School reports and SEN documentation
- Therapy assessments (SaLT, OT, etc.)
- Records of daily care needs
- Documentation of supervision requirements
- Examples of how needs affect family life
How Tediverse Helps:
Episode Tracker: Document specific incidents that demonstrate care needs:
- Meltdowns requiring supervision
- Episodes requiring physical care
- Safety concerns requiring constant supervision
- Examples of difficulties with daily activities
Sleep & Food Trackers: Show patterns of care needs:
- Sleep disturbances requiring night-time support
- Mealtime difficulties requiring extra care
- Patterns of need throughout day and night
My Feelings: Help your child express their experiences:
- Emotional difficulties requiring support
- Anxiety patterns
- Communication of needs
Health Passport: Organize all medical and professional reports:
- Diagnoses and medical letters
- Therapy reports
- Educational assessments
- Professional recommendations
Step 2: Completing the Form
The DLA form asks detailed questions about your child’s needs:
Key Sections:
- About your child and their condition
- Personal care needs (washing, dressing, eating, etc.)
- Supervision and keeping safe
- Getting around (mobility)
- Additional information
Tips for Completing:
- Be specific and detailed
- Use real examples
- Describe worst days, not just typical days
- Explain the level of help needed
- Show how needs differ from typically developing children
- Use Tediverse data to provide specific dates and examples
Step 3: Supporting Information
Include additional evidence with your form:
- Medical reports
- Professional assessments
- School reports
- Diary entries showing patterns
- Photos (where appropriate and relevant)
How Tediverse Helps:
- Generate reports from tracked data
- Create chronological evidence logs
- Export professional summaries
- Organize supporting documentation
Making Your Application Strong
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Being Too Brief: Don’t just say “needs help with washing.” Explain: “Requires full physical assistance to wash due to sensory sensitivities and motor planning difficulties. Cannot tolerate water temperature changes and needs verbal prompts for each step. Takes 45 minutes with two adults assisting.”
Focusing Only on Diagnosis: The application focuses on needs and impact, not just diagnosis. Show how your child’s condition affects their daily life.
Underestimating Needs: Describe your child’s needs on their worst days, not just typical days. DLA is awarded based on having needs “for most of the time.”
Not Providing Examples: Use specific examples with dates, times, and details. Tediverse’s Episode Tracker provides this documentation.
Strengthening Your Application
Quantify Needs:
- How long tasks take
- Frequency of support needed
- Number of episodes per week
- Hours of supervision required
Show Impact:
- How needs affect family life
- Impact on siblings
- Parent time required
- Effect on daily routines
Demonstrate Consistency:
- Show patterns over time
- Document ongoing needs
- Evidence that needs persist
Using Tediverse Throughout the Process
Before Applying
Start Tracking Early: Begin using Tediverse’s tracking features at least 3 months before applying to build evidence.
Document Everything:
- Care needs throughout the day
- Night-time requirements
- Supervision needs
- Mobility difficulties
- Safety concerns
During Application
Generate Reports: Use Tediverse to create evidence reports:
- Timeline of incidents
- Frequency of needs
- Patterns of care required
- Impact documentation
Organize Documents: Use Health Passport to store:
- All medical reports
- Professional assessments
- School documentation
- Therapy reports
After Submission
Continue Tracking: Keep documenting in case you need to:
- Provide additional information
- Attend an assessment
- Appeal a decision
- Support review applications
The Decision and Next Steps
If DLA is Awarded
- You’ll receive notification of the decision
- Payment will begin from your application date
- Review dates will be provided
- Keep continuing to track needs for reviews
If DLA is Refused
Understand Why:
- Request a statement of reasons
- Review what evidence might have been missing
- Consider if needs were explained clearly
Appealing:
- You have one month to request reconsideration
- You can then appeal to a tribunal
- Use Tediverse data to strengthen your appeal
- Consider getting advice from benefits advisors
Reapplying:
- You can reapply at any time
- Build stronger evidence using Tediverse
- Address reasons for previous refusal
Reviews and Renewals
DLA awards are reviewed periodically. Use Tediverse to:
- Track ongoing needs continuously
- Document changes (improvements or new needs)
- Prepare evidence for review
- Show consistency of needs
Getting Help with Your Application
Free Support Available:
- Citizens Advice
- Local SENDIASS services
- Benefits advisors
- Disability charities (Contact, etc.)
- Local parent support groups