Northern Ireland · Child DLA · Under 16

You know your child. Let’s help the form reflect the support they need.

NI Benefits Navigator was started in Northern Ireland to help parents explain their child’s needs clearly and honestly, without getting lost in the paperwork. Plain English, written for the Department for Communities system.

Get the free Child DLA guide What’s in the Answer Bank
DfC
Northern Ireland only
Free
Guide first
Info
Not legal advice
Northern Ireland only
Free guide first
You make every decision
Information, not legal advice
If this feels familiar

You’re not being dramatic.

The form is genuinely hard. Here are the things NI parents tell us they find hardest, and a calmer way to think about each one.

“School says they’re fine. Home tells a different story.” Children can manage very differently in different places. School’s view is useful evidence. You see the rest of the day: mornings, evenings, weekends, and the time it takes to settle after school. The form gives you room to describe the fuller day-to-day picture.

“Writing down what they struggle with feels like I’m letting them down.” It can feel uncomfortable. It may help to think of it as recording the help your child needs: the prompting, the supervision, the hands-on support. That is not a judgement of your child. It is an accurate description of their day.

“I don’t know the right words.” There are no magic words. What helps is detail you have actually seen: what help was needed, when, how often, for how long, and what happens without it. Keeping notes over an ordinary week, including the harder days, makes that much easier.

“Everything I read online is about England.” In Northern Ireland, Child DLA is run by the Department for Communities, with its own form, contacts and appeal route. Guidance written for the DWP doesn’t always apply here.

Start here · free

The free NI Child DLA guide

A calm, start-to-finish walk-through of the Child DLA process in Northern Ireland, based on official nidirect and Department for Communities sources.

  • What Child DLA is, and what the care and mobility parts look at
  • Getting the form, and describing your child’s needs clearly
  • What evidence can help, and how to keep copies and records
  • What happens after you send the form, and what to do if you disagree with a decision

It is information about an administrative process, not advice about your child’s individual entitlement. Free, independent advice is available from Advice NI on 0800 915 4604.

Free PDF · download straight away

Thank you. Here’s your guide.

Download the free Child DLA guide (PDF)

Also free: the Child DLA Form Kit (PDF), with the form at a glance and a 7-day care diary.

Any trouble downloading? Email nibenefitsnavigator@gmail.com and we’ll send it direct.

Why NI Benefits Navigator exists

Built in Northern Ireland, for Northern Ireland families

Most help online is written for England and Wales. We started NI Benefits Navigator so parents here could get plain-English help that uses their own system: the Department for Communities, HSC Trusts and the Education Authority.

What we do

  • Explain how the Child DLA process works, step by step
  • Help you organise what you see day to day into clear answers
  • Point you to free, independent advice when a decision really matters

What we don’t do

  • Fill in the form for you, or tell you what you’ll be awarded
  • Give legal or welfare-rights advice
  • Write for families outside Northern Ireland
Not sure yet? · Quick check

Could DLA be worth exploring for your child?

Five questions. Two minutes. No login, no email, nothing stored. Based on the published NI criteria from nidirect.

Question 1 of 5
How old is your child?
DLA for children applies from 3 months old (for the care component) or from age 3 (if mobility difficulties are involved). It runs until age 16.
Question 2 of 5
Does your child need more looking after than a child the same age without a disability?
This could include help with eating, washing, dressing, toileting, communication, behaviour management, or needing someone to watch over them more than usual.
Question 3 of 5
Does your child need supervision or watching that other children their age don't?
For example: to prevent danger, to manage behaviour, to avoid harm to themselves or others, or because they need someone nearby even when other children would be safe on their own.
Question 4 of 5
Does your child have difficulty getting around outdoors, or need more help than usual when walking?
This includes needing guidance or supervision outdoors, difficulty walking reasonable distances, or being unable to walk at all. Mobility is assessed from age 3 upwards.
Question 5 of 5
Have these difficulties lasted, or are they expected to last, at least 3 months?
DLA is for ongoing needs. If your child has a new diagnosis or you're waiting for one, that's okay — the key question is whether the difficulties are expected to continue.
This looks like it may be worth exploring.
Based on your answers and the published NI criteria, your child's difficulties may be relevant to Disability Living Allowance. Here's what to look at next.
What to explore
The care component looks at extra help your child needs with day-to-day tasks, and any supervision they need to keep safe — during the day, at night, or both.
What to gather
Keep notes over an ordinary week, including the harder days: what help your child needed, when, how often, for how long, and what happens without it. Letters from school, health visitors, or HSC professionals can be useful too.
Get the free DLA guide NI Child DLA Answer Bank — £24.99
This is not a legal assessment and does not guarantee entitlement. It is based on published criteria from nidirect.gov.uk and is intended to help you understand what may be worth exploring. For formal advice, contact your local advice centre or the Disability Living Allowance helpline.
It's not clear-cut — but that doesn't mean no.
Your answers suggest your child's situation may or may not meet the published criteria. Many parents feel unsure at this stage. The free guide explains what DLA actually looks at and helps you think it through properly.
What to do next
Read through the free guide. It explains what DLA looks at, what “extra care” and supervision mean in practice, and how to describe your child’s needs clearly.
Worth knowing
Being unsure is common at this stage. Writing down the help your child actually needs over an ordinary week, including the harder days, often makes the picture clearer.
Get the free DLA guide
This is not a legal assessment and does not guarantee entitlement. It is based on published criteria from nidirect.gov.uk. For formal advice, contact your local advice centre.
Your child may be moving toward PIP at 16.
At 16, child DLA ends and your child will need to transition to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The criteria, the form, and the assessment are all different.
What happens
DfC writes to you at 15 years 7 months and again at 15 years 10 months. The invitation to claim PIP comes shortly after the 16th birthday. If PIP is claimed by the date in that letter, DLA payments continue until the PIP decision is made. The PIP form is completely different.
What to do now
The Transition Toolkit walks you through the move step by step: what changes, the claim date that protects DLA, your role at 16, assessment preparation and evidence.
DLA to PIP Transition Toolkit — £24.99 Free DLA guide
This is not a legal assessment. It is based on published criteria from nidirect.gov.uk. For formal advice, contact your local advice centre.
DLA may not be the right fit right now.
Based on your answers, the published criteria for child DLA may not be relevant at this stage. That said, situations change — and there may be other support available.
Other support
Even if DLA isn't relevant now, your child may still benefit from other support — including help through school, the Education Authority, or your local HSC Trust. The free guide covers what other options exist in Northern Ireland.
If things change
If your child's needs increase or a new difficulty develops that lasts more than 3 months, it may be worth coming back and checking again.
Get the free DLA guide anyway
This is not a legal assessment. Situations change and this screener cannot account for every circumstance. For formal advice, contact your local advice centre.
Next steps

When you're ready to start the form

Start with the free guide. See how it feels. Then decide whether you want the extra depth of the Answer Bank.

Free
Free Child DLA Guide
A calm walk-through of the whole Child DLA process in Northern Ireland, from getting the form to what happens after a decision.
What DLA care and mobility actually look at
The “compared to a child the same age” idea, in plain English
Describing needs clearly, evidence and keeping records
Free
Get the free guide
NI Child DLA Answer Bank
A question-by-question companion to the current DLA1 Child form (June 2026 edition), with worked example answers across conditions. Specific wording you can adapt, not copy. Covers mobility, care and supervision.
Worked example answers you can adapt to your child
All conditions — physical, sensory, learning, long-term illness, ADHD and autism
Follows the current DLA1 Child form, question by question
Written for DfC, not DWP — NI-specific throughout
Two versions included — full-colour for screen, print-friendly (white pages) for home printing
£24.99 one-off · instant PDF
Get the Answer Bank · £24.99
Who this is for

Built for NI parents at every stage

Whether you're just wondering, ready to apply, or reapplying after a refusal.

"Is my child eligible?"
You're unsure whether your child's difficulties are relevant. The free guide and the quick check help you understand what DLA actually looks at.
"I have the form but I'm stuck."
You have the DLA1 form but the questions are confusing. The Answer Bank goes through it question by question, with worked examples to help you describe your child's needs clearly.
"We were refused or got low rate."
The guides explain what the form asks and how the reconsideration and appeal steps work in Northern Ireland, so you can describe your child's needs more fully next time. For help with a challenge, Advice NI is free.
Why NI matters

Northern Ireland has its own system

Most DLA advice online is written for England and Wales. Here's what's different.

Northern Ireland
DLA is administered by the Department for Communities (DfC). Assessments are often by telephone. HSC Trust letters are the standard supporting evidence.
England & Wales
DLA is run by DWP. Processes, assessment formats, and supporting evidence expectations can differ. Guidance written for DWP doesn't always apply in NI.
NI appeals
Appeals go through the Appeals Service in Northern Ireland. The process, forms (NOA1), and timeline are different from the SSCS1 process used in England.
NI education support
Children in NI have Statements of SEN (not EHCPs). Evidence from the Education Authority can strengthen a DLA application alongside HSC Trust reports.
Common questions

Before you decide

Does the screener store any of my answers? +
No. Nothing is stored, saved, or sent anywhere. Your answers exist only on your device while you're looking at the page. When you close it, they're gone.
Does the screener tell me if my child will get DLA? +
No. It helps you understand whether the published criteria may be relevant to your child's situation. Only DfC can make an award decision. This is a starting point, not a determination.
My child doesn't have a diagnosis yet. Can I still apply? +
Yes. DLA looks at your child's needs, not the name of a diagnosis. You can describe the difficulties and the extra help your child needs while you wait for an assessment.
What's the difference between the free guide and the Answer Bank? +
The free guide explains how DLA works and what common mistakes to avoid. The Answer Bank is a full form-filling companion that goes through the current DLA1 Child form question by question, with worked example answers across conditions.
Is this written for Northern Ireland specifically? +
Yes. Every guide, every example, every piece of terminology uses DfC, HSC Trusts, and NI processes. This is not generic UK advice rebranded. It's written in Northern Ireland, for Northern Ireland families.
What if my child is turning 16 soon? +
At 16, DLA doesn't roll over. Your young person is invited to make a new PIP claim, and the criteria and the form change. Our DLA to PIP Transition Toolkit covers what's different and how to prepare. The screener will flag this if it's relevant to your situation.
From an NI parent
“Wow just wow, the detail is incredible and so helpful… this has gave me confidence and will be so useful to have, to guide me through the daunting form.”
— PATRICIA · NI PARENT

You don’t have to do this alone.

Start with the free guide. If you’re still not sure whether DLA is relevant, the quick check takes two minutes and stores nothing.

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