Disability benefits

• Our Helpline staff can answer your general questions about Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance for children (DLA).  
• We provide easy to read guides on PIP and DLA for children. 

You could be entitled to:

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) 

• This may be for you if you are 16 or over and have not reached State Pension age. 
• You will have difficulty or need help with getting around and/or daily activities such as using the toilet and preparing food. 
• You score points according to the level of your difficulties. The number of points determines whether you receive the benefit and at which rate. 
• Eligibility doesn’t depend on household income or savings 
• Our Claiming Personal Independence Payment guide can help you apply for PIP. 

Please be aware that from Spring 2022, the Scottish government will start to replace PIP with Adult Disability Payment. This means that if you are living in Scotland after Spring 2022, our information on PIP may not be relevant for you. You can find information on Adult Disability Payment on Citizens Advice Scotland or Social Security Scotland - Benefits.

Disability Living Allowance for Children (DLA) 

• This is for children under 16. 
• Your child needs more care or help than children of the same age without a medical condition. 
• Eligibility doesn’t depend on household income or savings. 
• Our Claiming DLA - Children under 16 guide can help you apply for DLA. 
  
  

Attendance Allowance (AA) 

• This may be for you if you have reached State Pension age. 
• You will have difficulty or need help with daily activities such as using the toilet and getting dressed.  
• Eligibility doesn’t depend on household income or savings. 
• For further information on applying for AA please see Citizens Advice and Age UK websites. 
  
  

Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit (UC)

(depending on where you live)

• This may be for you if your illness, health condition or disability makes it difficult or impossible to work. 
• Universal Credit is being introduced across the UK in stages. It will replace certain means tested benefits including ESA.                                                         
• Citizens Advice can help you if you feel too sick or disabled to work.  

If you require more information on benefits, then Citizens Advice can offer up to date information including an online benefit check.  Remember to make sure you are checking information relevant to the country where you live: 

England: citizensadvice.org.uk
Northern Ireland: citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/northern-ireland
Scotland: citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland
Wales: citizensadvice.org.uk/wales