Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults: who still gets it

Adults cannot make a new claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA). DLA is now paid only to people who already had it, and in England and Wales most of them will eventually be invited to move to Personal Independence Payment (PIP). People born on or before 8 April 1948 keep DLA for as long as they remain eligible.

At a glance

• New DLA claims are only possible for children under 16 in England and Wales.
• 2026/27 weekly rates: care component £30.30, £76.70 or £114.60; mobility component £30.30 or £80.00.
• Born on or before 8 April 1948: DLA continues while you remain eligible. Born later: a letter will tell you when it ends.
• If the letter arrives, you have 28 days to apply for PIP, and DLA keeps being paid until at least 28 days after the PIP decision.
• Over State Pension age and not on DLA: Attendance Allowance is the benefit to claim instead.

Can you still claim DLA as an adult?

No. DLA was closed to new adult claims as PIP and Attendance Allowance took its place. GOV.UK says you can only apply for DLA if you are under 16 and live in England or Wales. From age 16, the benefit you apply for depends on your age and where you live.

Our guides to PIP rates and eligibility and Attendance Allowance explain how each one works.

What are the DLA rates for 2026/27?

DLA has two parts, a care component and a mobility component. You can be awarded either or both, and the rate depends on how your condition affects you rather than on your diagnosis.

DLA is usually paid every four weeks into a bank or building society account. You can be awarded the care component even if nobody is actually providing the care, or if you live alone.

What happens if you were born after 8 April 1948?

Your DLA will end at some point, but not on a date you choose. You will receive a letter telling you when, and DLA carries on being paid until then. GOV.UK says that, unless your circumstances change, you do not need to do anything until that letter arrives.

When the letter comes, it invites you to apply for PIP. If you do apply, you must do so within 28 days. DLA continues to be paid until at least 28 days after a decision on your PIP application. If you qualify for PIP, payments start as soon as DLA stops, so there is no gap.

A move to PIP is a fresh assessment against different rules, so the outcome can be higher, lower or the same. If you are unhappy with a PIP decision, ask for a mandatory reconsideration. Welfare rights advisers at Citizens Advice or Age UK can help you prepare, and it is worth speaking to one before the 28 days run out.

What if you were born on or before 8 April 1948?

GOV.UK says you will continue to get DLA for as long as you are eligible. You do not need to move to PIP. The same applies in Northern Ireland, where people over State Pension age with a lifetime award keep DLA and are not reassessed for PIP.

That does not mean you can ignore changes. You must tell the Disability Service Centre if the help you need changes, if you go into hospital or a care home for more than two days, if a medical professional says you are nearing the end of life, or if you plan to go abroad for more than four weeks. Giving wrong information or failing to report a change can lead to a penalty or court action.

Hospital and care home stays

If you enter a care home, tell the Disability Service Centre. The Care Act statutory guidance notes that DLA and Attendance Allowance eligibility ceases after four weeks of local authority support in a care home, so the council paying towards your fees typically ends the care component. If you pay the fees entirely yourself the position can differ, so ask the Disability Service Centre before assuming. Our guide to benefits in a care home covers this in more detail.

How does DLA affect other benefits and help?

DLA is not counted as income for Pension Credit. Having it can also unlock extra money and entitlements:

• An extra £86.05 a week in Pension Credit if you get the middle or highest rate of the DLA care component (the severe disability amount).
• Carer’s Allowance for someone who looks after you for at least 35 hours a week, if you get the middle or highest care rate. See our Carer’s Allowance guide.
• Carer’s Credit for a carer who looks after you for at least 20 hours a week and is under State Pension age, which helps protect their State Pension record. See Carer’s Credit.

One trap to know about: when a carer claims Carer’s Allowance for you, you will usually lose the severe disability amount in your Pension Credit, and possibly a reduced Council Tax bill. A benefits check before the carer claims shows whether the household is better or worse off overall. The funding checker is a good starting point for the care side of the picture.

What is different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

Wales follows the England arrangements described above. In Scotland, all existing DLA claims have been moved to Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance, run by Social Security Scotland, and new claims are made for Adult Disability Payment or Pension Age Disability Payment. If you move between Scotland and England or Wales, tell the relevant agency straight away, because the benefit you receive will change and payments can be affected if you delay.

In Northern Ireland, nobody can make a new adult DLA claim. PIP replaced DLA for people between 16 and State Pension age, while those already over State Pension age with a lifetime DLA award continue unchanged. The rates are the same as in Great Britain.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still apply for DLA as an adult?

No. In England and Wales you can only apply for DLA if you are under 16. Adults under State Pension age apply for PIP, and people at or above State Pension age who do not get DLA apply for Attendance Allowance instead.

Will my DLA stop when I turn 65?

Not automatically. Your age is not the trigger. If you were born on or before 8 April 1948 DLA continues while you are eligible. If you were born later, DLA ends when you receive a letter inviting you to claim PIP.

How long do I have to apply for PIP after the DLA letter?

You must apply for PIP within 28 days, so check the deadline stated in your letter. DLA keeps being paid until at least 28 days after the PIP decision, and if you are awarded PIP it starts as DLA ends.

Is DLA counted as income for Pension Credit?

No. DLA is not counted as income when Pension Credit is worked out. It can also increase your Pension Credit by £86.05 a week if you receive the middle or highest rate of the care component.

Does DLA continue in a care home?

It depends on who pays the fees. You must report a care home stay of more than two days. Where a council contributes, the care component typically stops after four weeks. If you pay the fees entirely yourself the rules can differ, so check with the Disability Service Centre.

Where to get help next

If a DLA ending letter has arrived, speak to Citizens Advice or Age UK about the PIP claim before the deadline. For the wider picture, read about Attendance Allowance versus PIP and the current Attendance Allowance rates, try the Attendance Allowance checker, or use find care to look at care options near you.

Sources

• GOV.UK: Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults
• GOV.UK: Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027
• GOV.UK: Pension Credit, what you’ll get
• GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance, effect on other benefits
• nidirect: Disability Living Allowance for adults

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.