Disability living allowance uk
Disability Living Allowance, also called as DLA, is a special type of allowance that is provided to all those persons that are mentally or physically disabled. This type of allowance is a tax free benefit and is provided to children as well as adults . There are many countries where this type of allowance is payable and United Kingdom is no exception . This allowance is given to all those disabled persons that need personal care . Any person living in United Kingdom can get this type of allowance if he is having any type of physical and mental disability or both .
It is necessary that the level of disability is severe enough to receive the personal care or a person should have walking difficulties. Other requirement that has to be fulfilled for getting this type of allowance is that a person should not have crossed the age of 65 years at the time of making the claim.If any person has crossed the age of 65 years, he is not entitled to receive the disability living allowance and instead, he is given Attendance Allowance .Attendance allowance is also a special type of tax free benefit that is provided to people of more than 65 years in UK and who need personal care due to mental or physical disability . Most important aspect that needs to be understood regarding DLA in UK is that the income received by a person if he is working and his savings, do not affect his eligibility to receive this allowance.
GETTING THE DISABIliTY ALLOWANCE IN UK
Though any person under the age of 65 years that has mental or physical disability is eligible to receive the disability living allowance, there are some requirements or conditions that have to be fulfilled for getting this allowance. If a person is disabled in a minor way, that is, he does not needs personal care or has no walking difficulties ; he is not entitled to receive this type of allowance. The disability, mental or physical, must be there for last three consecutive months and a person is likely to receive the personal care for coming six months. The reader should note here that if a person is receiving disability living allowance and reaches the age of 65 years, he shall be getting the allowance if it is felt that the person needs personal care for mobility needs etc.If a person is applying for the disability living allowance for his child, there are some conditions that have to be fulfilled as the child needs more supervision .
The claim for the disability living allowance for a child has to be filed before he has crossed age of 3 years . If any child is under the age of 3 months, the benefits under the disability living allowance are not paid . Such child can get the disability living allowance only under special rules .A person can easily claim disability living allowance for his child for the mobility needs if the child is 3 years old and is unable to walk or finds it very difficult to walk .In case the child has attained the age of 3 years and is 100% disabled due to loss of eyesight and is 80% disabled due to deafness, he is eligible to receive the disability living allowance .If a child is mentally impaired in a severe way so that he needs highest care, he is eligible to receive the disability living allowance . If any child has attained the age of 5 years and he needs supervision whenever his is walking out of home, he is eligible to get the disability living allowance.
SOME SPECIAL CASES AND OTHER ASPECTS
There are some special cases also when a person can get the disability living allowance in United Kingdom. Before we discuss these cases, let us understand about three rates of care of disabled people in UK. First is the lowest care when a person needs care for some part of day and cannot cook mail meal for himself. Second is Middle rate. In this type of care, a person needs care throughout the day or night etc . Last rate is the Highest rate of care . This rate is applicable to all those persons that need care throughout day and night. If a person is suffering from progressive disease and there are chances that he would not live for more than 6 months, he is eligible to receive the disability living allowance under special rules. In such cases, it is provided in an easy and quick manner . Highest rate of care is provided to that person irrespective of the fact that he had needed help for 3 months or not. This is special allowance for people that are Âterminally ill .
For getting the disability living allowance, a person is not asked for a medical examination generally . But there are some cases where a person is asked to get himself examined medically . This depends upon the degree of illness or disability . So far the amount under the disability living allowance is concerned, it has two parts . First is the Care component, when a person needs help for personal care to keep him safe . Second is the mobility component, when a person needs help of somebody for moving or getting ground. The degree of disability would decide whether a person would get one component or both components .The disability living allowance is paid directly into the account of person in the bank etc that accepts such payments . Even another account holder can receive the benefits.The rate at which the disability living allowance is paid depends upon the rate of care a person needs . In the category of care component, a person with highest rated needs gets 64.50 pound sterling per week . In case of middle rated needs, it becomes 43 .15 and in case of lowest rated needs, it becomes 17.10 pound sterling per week . In the category of Mobility component, higher rated needs fetch 45.00 pound sterling per week whereas lower rated needs fetch person 17.10 pound sterling per week .
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