Disability Living Allowance and Benefits
Email this pageDisability Living Allowance
Disability living allowance can help towards the costs of bringing up a child with a disability. For information on Disability Living Allowance please watch these videos from the Department of Work and Pensions
An Overview of the Benefit and How to Make a Claim for Disability Living Allowance
Personal Independent Payment
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is a benefit that helps people aged 16 and over with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability. For information on Personal Independent Payment please watch this video from the Department of Work and Pensions
Claiming Personal Independence Payment
Carers Allowance
If you spend a lot of time looking after someone with an illness or disability, you may be entitled to extra money in the form of a benefit called Carer’s Allowance.
Learn more about Carers Allowance from Carers UK
Essex County Council Financial Support for Carers
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is a benefit to help provide extra financial support if you are on a low income or not in work at this time. You may also be eligible if you are unable to work due to illness or a disability.
What is Disabled Student Allowance?
Our Young People section provides information on What is Disabled Student Allowance for University students
Funding Support for Families
Cerebra
Cerebra provide a guide to complete the Disability Living Allowance Form. The guide takes you through all the questions on the DLA form, explaining what each one means and giving tips on how to answer. It also offers advice on how to appeal if you are unhappy with the decision.
Families inFocus
Families InFocus can help you with applications for Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment
Carers Allowance or The Family Fund. One of the ways they help is through regular, online sessions where they talk you through how to complete the Disability Living Allowance application form.
Family Fund
Funded by the Department for Education and managed by Family Fund, the SFDC programme provides a wide range of grant items to families in England with a low-income, who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young person.
Contact for Families with Disabled Children
You may be entitled to certain benefits and tax credits that may help with the extra costs you face. Contact provides further information on what you may be entitled to.
STRM - SEND the Right Message
Disability Benefit Support Appointments
Also in this section:
Looked after Children
Local Authorities duties and responsibilities for looked after children in education
Social Care Needs Assessment
How to request a social care needs assessment and what to expect
Social Care Element of an EHC plan
Guidance on the information the LA will seek around your child’s social care needs and social care assessments.
Support Groups, Respite Organisations
Information on local support groups and respite organisations
SENDIASS ASD Workshops
SENDIASS delivers bespoke training sessions online and face to face to parent/carers and for professionals, ensuring that all information shared is relevant and up to date.
Essex Short Breaks
Essex Short Breaks are now open to children and young people awaiting assessment for autism.
SENDIASS are offering advice and guidance for parents/carers with a child waiting for an ASD assessment and free training sessions online and face to face. You can read more read about our workshops & training opportunities on Training & Development or download Leaflet for ASD Workshop Sessions 2025
Essex Local Offer Roadshows are back in the spring term and SENDIASS are offering parent/carer workshops. Find out more and how book on our morning workshops on Essex Local Offer Roadshows are back!