Tips on form filling - Under 65 - Claiming Disability Living Allowance

Disability Living Allowance is all about difficulties with personal care, or your need for supervision or watching over, and difficulties with mobility or walking.  Unfortunately it does not consider what difficulties you may have with domestic activities like shopping or cleaning, so try to avoid talking about these on the form.  

The Mobility Component

The mobility component can be paid if any one of these apply to you:

  • You are unable to walk.
  • You are virtually unable to walk taking into account your speed, distance you can cover before severe discomfort, manner in which you walk and the length of time it takes you including, any recovery time.
  • The exertion required to walk would be life threatening or lead to a serious deterioration to your health.
  • You are deaf and blind.
  • You were born without feet or are a double amputee.
  • You have a severe mental impairment and behavioural problems.
  • You need guidance or supervision when walking outdoors in unfamiliar areas because of a physical or mental disability.  

Make sure when filling in the forms that you do not over estimate your ability, or put something that is a little ambitious.   Be realistic about the difficulties that you have.   The forms ask you how far you can walk and how long it takes.   It is very difficult to estimate distances but do not be tempted to guess.   Perhaps someone can pace it out with you and keep a note of how long it takes you to cover that distance.   Remember it is about your ability before any severe discomfort starts, not about the distance when you are forced to stop.  

If you can walk but need somebody with you for guidance or supervision explain about the difficulties you have.   You need to explain about the difficulties you would have in an unfamiliar area, not about how you manage in a familiar situation. 

The Care Component

The Care Component looks at any difficulties you may have with personal care, or need for supervision or watching over.   If you are filling the form in for a child, try to think of any additional help or supervision they need because of their disability, or perhaps they need a different kind of help than would a child of the same age without a disability.  

Getting out of and into bed

Examples of what to include on the form:

  • any pain, stiffness or aches you get
  • any difficulties you have sitting up or getting your legs into or out of bed
  • any dizziness or problems you have keeping steady
  • any encouragement or reminders you need to get up or go to bed.

When you are in bed 

Examples of what to include on the form:

  • any difficulty turning over or being propped up 
  • needing help to change bedclothes or bedding eg. due to night sweats or incontinence 
  • if you need help to take medication 
  • why someone has to be awake to help you 
  • if you need that help more than once.   

Toilet needs (Day or Night)

Examples of what to include on the form:

  • any trouble getting to the toilet 
  • any difficulty sitting down or getting up from the toilet 
  • help to clean yourself 
  • any difficulty getting your clothes off or on 
  • if you have 'accidents' how you cope.

If it is difficult getting out of a chair or using stairs, it may be difficult to get to the toilet.

Washing, bathing and looking after your appearance

Put down any difficulties or discomfort you have with:

  • getting your clothes off to prepare for washing or bathing
  • getting your legs into or out of the bath 
  • raising your arms to wash your hair 
  • stretching/bending to wash all over eg. your back and/or feet 
  • holding soap if your grip is limited 
  • shaving 
  • combing your hair 
  • drying yourself 
  • cutting fingernails or toenails 
  • are you likely to slip? 
  • do you feel you cannot be bothered to wash because you feel low?   

You may not bathe or shower every day because you can only bathe when someone comes to help.   Explain that you always need help even though it might not be available every day.   A daily bath might help your condition and reduce aches and pains, or you may need more frequent showers or baths because of 'accidents'.   

Getting dressed and undressed 

Put down any difficulties or discomfort you have with:

  • bending or reaching to put on blouses, shirts, coats, fasten bras
  • raising your arms to put on slips, pullovers
  • bending to put on trousers, tights, underwear, socks or shoes 
  • coping with fastening buttons, zips, laces
  • breathlessness or pain when dressing or undressing 
  • there are certain clothes you avoid wearing
  • someone needs to remind you to put on clean clothes.  

You may manage to dress or undress yourself but, it may take a long time. It may be easier or less painful if you had help - say so! 

Meal times 

Examples of what to include on the form:

  • if you have full use of your hands 
  • any difficulty cutting up food 
  • you are unable to grip and lift a full cup to drink 
  • if you cannot see well enough to locate food on the plate 
  • if you ever skip meals because it seems difficult to manage.  

If you have problems opening jars you may also struggle to use a knife and fork, cut up food and open food containers.  

Preparing a main meal

Examples of what to include on the form:

  • any difficulty you have peeling, chopping and using cooking utensils
  • if you cannot use ordinary cooking equipment, eg. cooker, oven, kettle
  • if you are not able to plan a main meal and carry out the tasks safely and thoroughly
  • if you do not bother to prepare a main meal because it seems too much effort

It does not matter if you can use a microwave - this part of the form is asking about basic regular cooking equipment and about preparing a main meal - not just beans on toast or soup!

Medical treatment (day and night)

Examples of what to include on the form:

  • if you need help remembering to take the right medicines at the right time 
  • if you have difficulty reading labels or getting tops off bottles 
  • reaching injection sites 
  • applying creams and lotions 
  • describe what would happen if you did not take your medicine.   

Someone to keep an eye on you (day and night) 

Describe how having someone around might make it easier for you to keep safe, for example:

  • prevent you from injuring yourself if you have dizzy spells, blackouts or falls 
  • help you to use the oven or cooker to avoid scalds or spills 
  • watch you going up or down stairs 
  • help you get out of the house if there was a fire 
  • remember to light and switch off gas burners 
  • help you because of eyesight or hearing difficulties 
  • if you lose your concentration or get confused.  

Give examples of any problems or accidents that have happened when you have been alone, or how having someone with you has helped you to stay safe.

Moving about indoors 

Say if you:

  • struggle to get out of chairs 
  • hang on to furniture to keep steady 
  • have problems using stairs (if you are slow, unbalanced or in pain) 
  • need help to get about your house in a wheelchair 
  • avoid walking around/using stairs because of any difficulties. If you do say why.   

Falls or stumbles 

Explain why you stumble or fall, for example:

  • because you have difficulties due to lack of balance 
  • because you get dizzy when on your feet 
  • because you shuffle or trip over things.

Explain where this can happen, for example: 

  • in the living room, kitchen, bedroom or bathroom 
  • on the stairs 
  • getting out of the bath or bed.  

Explain what help you might need, for example: 

  • someone to help you get up 
  • help if you hurt yourself 
  • any difficulty you have letting someone know you need help.   

Explain how you could injure yourself or be in danger from falling - even if you have not fallen often. 

The way you feel because of your mental health 

Explain if you:

  • suffer from phobias, for example agoraphobia 
  • get confused or forgetful 
  • how family or friends or other people help to support you.   

Communicating with other people 

Say if you:

  • have difficulty hearing, even with a hearing aid 
  • have eyesight problems which make it hard to read letters, write replies or deal with bills and forms 
  • need help lip reading or using sign language or the telephone 
  • have difficulty concentrating during conversations   

More about the way your illnesses or disabilities affect you 

Give details of any other difficulties. Mention what sort of personal care help or supervision would make it easier for you to carry out social and leisure activities, for example:

  • visiting family and friends 
  • going to bingo, the cinema or pubs 
  • keeping fit 
  • going to church or other places of worship.  

Include any activities that you could do if help was available. 

When your problems started 

Put down the approximate time that you began to have the difficulties you have mentioned on the form. If you are claiming Disability Living Allowance you must have needed help for at least 3 months before payment of benefit can start, and you must be likely to continue to need this help for 6 months after you make your claim.    These time limits do not apply if you have a terminal illness.

Remember to sign the form

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