Children with a disability or special needs

For further details about paying for childcare for disabled children, see our factsheet 'Childcare for children with disabilities and special educational needs' from our factsheet section. You can also order a free copy of our parent booklet 'A guide to childcare for disabled children' from our main website.

Disability Living Allowance 

This is the main financial support available to help towards the additional costs of living with a disability. Payments ranges from £20.55 per week to £77.45 per week depending on your child's circumstances.

You can get a claim pack by contacting the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00 or textphone 0800 24 33 55, or by contacting your local Jobcentre Plus office. For more infomation, see our factsheet 'Childcare for children with disabilities and special educational needs'.

If you are claiming Disability Living Allowance you may also be able to claim extra support through the disabled child element within Child Tax Credit.

Direct Payments 

If you have a child with disabilities you may be able to receive money to pay for services and equipment personally, instead of having them arranged by your local authority. Direct payments may be provided by social services after an assessment process. Getting money in place of social services’ care means you have greater choice and control over your life and you are able to make your own decisions about how the care is delivered.

Direct payments can be very useful in allowing you to shape your own childcare package, including support and services that are not routinely provided by community care services. Some local authorities may also offer specific childcare support.

You can contact the social services department at you local authority for information. You will find their contact details in your local phone directory or on your local authority’s website.

For more information about direct payments, you can read 'A Parents Guide to Direct Payments' which is available from the Department for Education website.

Disabled child element of Child Tax Credit 

If you are claiming Disability Living Allowance for your child, you may also be able to claim extra support through the disabled child element of Child Tax Credit. There are two elements:

• disabled child element (£2,950 per year) - for each child within the family receiving Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or who is registered blind; and
• a severely disabled child element (£1,190 per year) - in addition to the disabled child element, for each child within the family who is receiving the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance.

To apply for Child Tax Credit you can contact the Tax Credit Helpline on 0345 300 3900.