Help & Advice Benefits People of working age
Benefits for people of working age
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
DLA is one of the main benefits available to people who need help with getting out and about and / or their personal care needs.
You may be eligible for DLA if:
- You are under the age of 65 when you make your first claim for DLA. You can carry on receiving DLA once you have passed the age of 65
- DLA is not means tested and is not taxable; in other words it's tax free and can be paid irrespective of income, wages or savings
- DLA is not counted as income when assessing means tested benefits
DLA comes in two distinct parts: a Care component and a Mobility component. You may be eligible for one or both of these. Many people who have sight impairments qualify for the lowest rate of both components.
The Care component
Needing someone else to help with things like washing or bathing, getting dressed or cooking may count as 'help with personal care'. Needing help with social and leisure activities and studying and work can also count. The help you need with these activities is relevant for the Care component.
The Care component can be paid at a lower, middle or higher rate depending on the extent of the person's needs.
The Mobility component
This component may be available if you need help from someone else to get out and about safely. The Mobility component can be paid at one of two levels: a low and a high rate.
Entitlement to the high rate is normally restricted to people who have an additional disability or illness that affects their ability to walk, no matter how severe their sight impairments are.
In March 2009, the Government announced that the qualifying criteria for the high rate of DLA mobility will be changed. So, from April 2011 people who are registered severely sight impaired and meet the qulaifying criteria will qualify for the high rate Mobility.
Read more about DLA on RNIB's website
Read the Government's information on DLA
Watch a video about DLA by the Department for Work and Pensions
Claiming for DLA
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To request a DLA claim pack, call the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00. If you return the forms within 6 weeks, DLA can be paid from the date of the phone call. Claim forms are also available in accessible formats such as Braille and large print
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You can also claim online
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Or you can download a DLA claim form from the Department for Work and Pensions website
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Watch a video by the Department for Work and Pensions about how to claim for DLA
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Keep a photocopy of your claim form. This can be helpful in case you need to dispute a decision at a later date.
How KAB can help with your claim
KAB Rehabilitation workers can help with completing DLA claim forms. Many of the questions on the forms need to be answered so as to give a full account of your needs, including a detailed description of the things you may find difficult to do alone.
Sometimes people need encouragement from a KAB Rehabilitation worker to accept they could do with help with certain tasks. Or they may find it difficult to express the nature of their difficulty.
If you would like to register a claim for DLA, please speak to your KAB Rehabilitation worker to find out how they can help you complete the forms.
Contact your local KAB Rehabilitation team
Other benefits for people of working age
The benefits listed below are a selection of those that are specifically for people of working age who have a disability, including people who have sight impairments. Clicking on the name of the benefit will provide you with more information.
Please note that some of these benefits are only available to people who are registered as severely sight impaired/ blind or sight impaired/partially sighted.
Read more about registering as severely sight impaired.
Please note this is only a selection of the benefits that may be available to you. For a full list please visit the benefits section of RNIB's website