Can You Get Disability Benefits For Dyslexia In The UK?

Disability benefits in the UK aim to support individuals with learning difficulties, mental or physical health conditions as well as disabilities. Through this blog post, we will discuss whether an individual with dyslexia can claim disability benefits or not. We will also elaborate upon the different benefits available to someone with a disability and how one can apply for them.

Can You Get Disability Benefits For Dyslexia In The UK?

Yes, you can get Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) for Dyslexia in the UK if you fall under any of the following categories:

studying a full-time or part-time course that lasts for a minimum of 12 months
an undergraduate or postgraduate student (this includes distance learning or Open University)
eligible for student finance from Student Finance England

The Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) applies to students who face difficulty in studying due to the following conditions:

learning difficulty; this includes dyslexia, dyspraxia, or ADHD
mental health conditions including anxiety or depression
physical disabilities such as partial sightedness or use of crutches
prolonged health conditions, such as cancer, chronic heart disease, or HIV

If you qualify for DSA, you can get help with the following costs:

specialist equipment such as a computer
non-medical helpers like a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter or specialist note taker
Additional commute to attend courses
disability-related study support such as printing additional copies of documents for proof-reading

During the 2021 to 2022 academic year, undergraduate and postgraduate students claim up to £25,000 a year for support through DSA. There is no age limit to your eligibility for this benefit.

Parents of children with dyslexia will be eligible for a Disability Living Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This is a non-taxable, non-means-tested state benefit that caters to the care and mobility needs of individuals affected by dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD.

The Disability Living Allowance for a child under 16 years of age is currently £23.70 and £152.15; depending on the level of care the child needs. Disability Allowance for children is paid every 4 weeks; the rates for 2021-22 are classified as follows:

Care component:

Lowest rate: £23.70
Middle rate: £60.00
Highest rate: £89.60

Mobility component

Lower rate: £23.70
Higher rate: £62.55

Below are the eligibility criteria to claim DLA for a child:

be under 16 years of age
living in England, Wales, a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
lived in the UK Great Britain for a minimum period of 6 of the recent 1 year (this applies to a child above 3 years of age)
be a habitual resident of the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
should not be subject to immigration control
require additional care or have walking difﬁculties

DLA is currently being replaced with Personal Indepdnacne Payment (PIP). If you are above 16 years of age and below the state pension age, you may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment for a disability such as dyslexia.

How Much Attendance Allowance Can You Claim?

Attendance Allowance is paid at two separate rates; depending upon the level of care that the recipient requires as per their disability. However, it does not cover mobility needs and aims to cover the extra costs of disability or old age.

Individuals who require help either during the day or night are entitled to £60 per week as Attendance Allowance; while those who require help during the day and night and/or are facing a terminal illness are eligible to receive £89.60 per week.

There is no compulsion on the recipient to spend this amount on a carer; recipients may use it to meet their everyday needs to remain independent in their home. The claimant does not even need to have a carer to apply for an Attendance Allowance; they must simply provide evidence of the need to be taken care of due to illness/disability or old age. If the claimant has a carer, the carer becomes eligible for a Carer’s Allowance once their dependant’s claim for Attendance Allowance is approved.

Who Can Get Attendance Allowance?

To confirm eligibility for Attendance Allowance, individuals are assessed on the below criteria:

State Pension Age: This is the earliest age at which a state pension may be received. To check whether an individual has qualified and/or surpassed the bracket to attain Attendance Allowance, a simple click on this link may be helpful Check your State Pension age – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk )

Independence: Individuals who may require help with washing themselves, getting dressed, or who need to be monitored to remain safe during the day or night are considered eligible.

Health Needs: In case of any physical or mental illness, disability, or terminal illness that may increase the requirement of being supervised or being taken care of by someone else.

Location: Claimants must be in England at the time of making the claim. Additionally, they must have lived in England for at least 2 of the previous 3 years.

What Is Carer’s Allowance?

If an individual is responsible for taking care of someone (at least 35 hours per week) with a disability or old age and is a recipient of Attendance Allowance, they may qualify for the Carer’s Allowance. This includes helping with basic household chores such as cooking or washing, assisting with doctor’s appointments for the person in care, managing their bills, and shopping.

Additionally, the applicant must also be able to fulfil the below criteria:

16 years or older
A resident of England, Scotland, or Wales
Lived in England, Scotland, or Wales for a minimum of 2 of the last 3 years or if they have been granted humanitarian protection
Not pursuing full-time education
Not studying for more than 21 hours a week
Earning £128 or less per week

Who Gets A Disabled Facilities Grant?

To be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant, the applicant must fulfil the below conditions:

Either the applicant or a member of their household is living with a disability
The affected person must either be a house owner or tenant who intends to continue living on the premises for a minimum of five years

The amount of funding that the applicant will receive in this case will depend on their income and savings, which will be assessed through a means test. On the basis of the results, the council will decide the amount that they may be able to arrange through the grant and the amount that the applicant is expected to pay.

In addition to wetrooms, the Disabled Facilities Grant can also provide for the following:

Improvement of garden safety
Widening of doors to improve access
Construction of an external ramp
Improved heating and lighting installations
Installation of stair and through floor lifts
Kitchen improvements to facilitate food preparation

Can I Get Council House If I Have Disabled Child?

Yes, not only will you qualify for council housing if you have a disabled child but you will be put on priority so that you may receive council housing at the earliest possible.

However, not everyone who has a child facing disabilities will be looking for a council house. Depending on the needs of their child, they may make modifications to their existing home and claim state benefits such as Disability Living Allowance.

Additionally, your local council can help you with short breaks, holiday play schemes, care at home as well as financial help. They can also help you apply for direct payments if you claim benefits. These may include the following:

Disability Living Allowance
Personal Independence Payment
Carer’s Allowance
Child Tax Credit (CTC)
Working Tax Credit (WTC)
Child Benefit
Universal Credit
Family Fund
Disabled Facilities Grant
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Reduction

Conclusion:

This blog post makes it clear that someone with dyslexia can claim disability benefits. In fact, DSA applies to anyone with a physical or mental disability or illness including dyslexia. Similarly, DLA can be claimed by parents of children with dyslexia. This is a non-taxable, non-means-tested state benefit that caters to the care and mobility needs of individuals affected by dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD. The Disability Living Allowance for a child under 16 years of age is currently £23.70 and £152.15.

FAQs: Can You Get Disability Benefits For Dyslexia In The UK?

Can you claim disability for dyslexia UK?

Yes, parents of children with dyslexia will be eligible for a Disability Living Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). This is a non-taxable, non-means-tested state benefit that caters to the care and mobility needs of individuals affected by dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD. In addition to this, the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) applies to students who face difficulty in studying due to learning difficulties such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, or ADHD.

Can you get PIP for dyslexia in the UK?

No, you will not be able to claim PIP on the basis of dyslexia alone. However, you may be able to claim a couple of points if you are able to provide sufficient evidence from the time you were in school or college.

Is dyslexia a disability?

As per the Equality Act 2010, dyslexia is classified as a disability. The reason for this lies in the fact that dyslexia is a permanent condition that hinders one’s ability to read or write and also impacts their sense of direction.

Do you get money for a child with ADHD?

How much disability allowance do you get?

How do you prove you are disabled in the UK?

As per the definition stated in section 6 of the Equality Act 2010, an individual can claim to be disabled if they suffer from a physical or mental impairment. Additionally, this impairment should bear a substantial and long term impact on the individual’s ability to perform normal duties on their own.