Benefits for children
Learn about the benefits you could claim if you are the parent or guardian of a blind or partially sighted child.
Benefits for children are different in Scotland. Find out more about benefits in Scotland
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and are the parent or guardian of a blind or partially sighted child aged 15 or under then you could be entitled to claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA) on their behalf. DLA is a benefit aimed at helping you meet the extra costs of a disability.
Changes at 16
If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, when your child reaches age 16 you will have to claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for them, and once a decision is made about PIP their DLA will stop. The DWP will contact you as your child approaches their sixteenth birthday to give you notice of this.
Find out more about the Personal Independence Payment.
Universal Credit
The government is replacing a number of means-tested benefits with one new benefit called Universal Credit. Universal Credit has a standard allowance for a single claimant or a couple. It also has a child element. Usually this can be paid for a maximum of two children but there are some exceptions to this two-child limit. Universal Credit can include an element to help pay your housing costs, such as rent.
Universal Credit can include a disabled child addition, which will be paid for each qualifying child.
Universal Credit can also include a carer element. You can get this if you provide 35 hours a week of care for a child who receives the middle or highest rate DLA/CDP (Scotland) care component, or PIP/ADP (Scotland) daily living component if they are 16 or over.
Carer’s Allowance
If the DWP awards your child the DLA/CDP(Scotland) care component at the middle or highest rate, you or your partner may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance. It is worth £81.90 per week.
Carer’s Allowance is not means-tested and does not depend on your National Insurance contributions. It is taxable and classed as income when working out entitlement to means tested benefits such as UC.
Find out more about Carer’s Allowance
Other benefits
You may be entitled to claim other benefits, either instead of, or in addition to, Carer’s Allowance.
You may be able to claim a benefit based on your National Insurance contributions, including Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) if you are able to look for work, or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have an illness or disability that limits your ability to work. Note, if you make a new claim for the contribution-based type of these benefits it may be called “new style” JSA and ESA. However, the contribution rules which are applicable to these benefits have not changed.
Benefits for Children factsheet
Our factsheet has lots of useful tips about making a claim for DLA, as well as information on other financial support available for parents of a blind or partially sighted child:
Our easy-to-use calculator will help you work out the benefits you're entitled to and any you may be missing out on.
