Child DLA Evidence: What to Send with Your Claim

Why evidence matters for child DLA

Most child DLA claims are decided entirely on paper — the decision-maker reads your form, your supporting documents, and may contact the professionals you've named. Unlike adult PIP, there is usually no face-to-face assessment. That means the evidence you attach carries real weight. A strong pack can be the difference between a refusal and a full award.

Medical evidence

Gather what already exists — don't commission new private reports. Useful documents include:

• Consultant and specialist letters describing your child's condition, treatment plan, and prognosis
• Diagnostic reports (autism assessment, ADHD evaluation, developmental paediatrics)
• Hospital discharge summaries if your child has been admitted
• CAMHS letters for children with mental health conditions
• Therapy notes from speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, or physiotherapy
• Repeat prescription printouts showing current medication

Your GP can provide a summary letter, but the practice may charge for preparing one. Under data protection law, you can request copies of existing records through a Subject Access Request to your NHS Trust or GP surgery; these requests are normally free.

Educational evidence

School-based evidence is particularly strong because it comes from independent professionals who see your child daily:

• EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) — the gold standard in England
• Individual Development Plan (IDP) in Wales
• SEN support plan or IEP in Northern Ireland
• SENCO report (from a Learning Support Coordinator in Northern Ireland or an ALNCo in Wales) describing the support your child receives in class
• One-to-one support records showing staffing allocated specifically to your child
• School trip risk assessments that document extra supervision requirements

If your child's school hasn't provided a report, you can write to the SENCO (called a Learning Support Coordinator in Northern Ireland or an ALNCo in Wales) explaining that you're making a DLA claim and asking them to describe your child's support needs during the school day. Most schools are willing to help.

Your own evidence

The decision-maker is assessing your child's daily care needs compared to a child of the same age — and you're the expert on what happens at home. Your own records carry weight:

• A care diary recording 7 to 14 days of care, supervision, and night-time waking (the single most valuable piece of evidence you can produce yourself)
• Photographs of equipment, adapted environments, or visual aids you use daily
• A list of aids and adaptations your child uses or needs

How to organise the pack

Create an evidence cover sheet listing every document you're attaching: the document's title, date, author, and page count. Put the cover sheet on top and number each document to match. This makes it easy for the decision-maker to cross-reference your form answers with the supporting evidence.

On every extra sheet, write your child's full name and National Insurance number (if they have one), sign it, and date it.

What you don't need

You don't need a GP referral or a professional's permission to claim. You don't need a formal diagnosis — claims are assessed on functional care needs, not diagnostic labels. And you don't need to pay for privately commissioned medical reports.

Build a complete evidence pack

The Child DLA Claim Guide includes a printable evidence cover sheet template and a school evidence request letter you can send to your child's SENCO (called a Learning Support Coordinator in Northern Ireland or an ALNCo in Wales). Free guidance on gathering evidence is also available from Contact (0808 808 3555) and Cerebra.

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