What Are SEN Register Benefits?

If a child is on an SEN register, it means that they have Special Education Needs. This means that they have a disability or a learning difficulty that makes the regular school curriculum a challenge and they need additional support. Through this article, we will explore the benefits that are available to the parents of a child who is listed on the SEN register. In addition to this, we will also discuss in detail, how various disability benefits provide support to claimants.

What Are SEN Register Benefits?

If a child is registered with the SEN register, their parents will be able to claim the following benefits:

Child Benefit
Child Tax Credit
Carer’s Allowance
Direct Payments from social care
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children
Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
The Family Fund
Universal Credit

SEND benefits are applicable in cases where

you are caring for a child with special education needs or a disability
or you are a young person (over 16 years of age) with SEND

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

Apart from this, there are certain benefits termed Universal Benefits that can be claimed by parents, carers or people with Special Education Needs. These include the following:

Funded Childcare
Child Tax Credit
Cold Weather Payment
Council Tax Reduction

Who Is Eligible For Disability Living Allowance?

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.

What Is Disabled Students Allowance?

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.

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

Does Carer’s Allowance Affect Universal Credit?

Yes, the carer’s allowance affects universal credit. The reason for this is that counts as an income in consideration of your universal credit claim. While a rise in income such as a carer’s allowance may reduce your universal credit claim, it may qualify you for additional credits since you are a carer.

During 2021-2022, the weekly amount for the carer’s allowance is set at £67.60. You may be able to claim this amount if you are able to fulfil the below conditions:

You spend a minimum of 35 hours per week caring for someone
You are above 16 years of age
You are not in full-time education
You earn less than or equal to £128 per week (after tax, national insurance and expenses)

Additionally, the person that you are caring for must be on either of the following benefits:

Attendance Allowance
Armed Forces Independence Payment
Disability Living Allowance
Personal Independence Payment

Who Is Eligible For 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.

Where applicable, it is advisable to attach the following support documents to the form:

doctors letters
prescriptions
sick notes

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

Conclusion:

The discussion in this article makes it clear that being registered on the SEN register qualifies the partner of the registered child for a range of benefits including Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Carer’s Allowance, Direct Payments from social care, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children. Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The Family Fund and Universal Credit. SEND benefits are applicable in cases where you are caring for a child with special education needs or a disability or you are a young person (over 16 years of age) with SEND.

FAQs: What Are SEN Register Benefits?

What is the SEN register in the UK?

Can you get DLA for a child with SEN?

Parents of children with SEND are 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.

Can a child be statemented without a diagnosis?

You do not need to have results of a formal diagnosis before you start with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP or EHC plan) or an Individual Education Plan (IEP). These plans can commence while the diagnosis is carried on.

Does autism count as a disability in the UK?

Autism is a lifelong learning and development related disability that affects the ability to communicate and perform basic tasks by those who are those affected by it. Therefore is counts as a disability and entitled the parent of an autistic child to receive support.

Is an EHCP the same as an IEP?

Essentially, an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP or EHC plan) is quite similar in its purpose to an Individual Education Plan (IEP). Both these plans aim to provide support to a child with special education needs so that they may progress in academics and social behaviour.