DLA1A Renewal Form: How to Complete a Child DLA Renewal

When the Renewal Pack Arrives

The DWP sends a DLA1A renewal claim pack approximately 20 weeks before your child's fixed-term award expires. The pack arrives by post to the address on file.

If you haven't received anything and the award end date is less than 16 weeks away, call the DLA helpline on 0800 121 4600 to request one. Don't wait for it to arrive — missing the deadline risks a gap in payments.

How the Renewal Form Differs from the First Claim

The DLA1A renewal form covers the same ground as the original DLA1 Child claim — care needs, mobility, medical details, professional contacts — but it's specifically designed to capture how your child's needs have changed since the last assessment.

The core difference is framing. On the initial claim, you described your child's needs from scratch. On the renewal, the DWP already knows what was previously awarded. The renewal is looking for:

• Whether the same care and mobility needs continue
• Whether needs have increased (which could raise the award) or decreased
• Any new conditions, diagnoses, or treatments since the last claim
• Updated professional contacts (the GP, consultant, or SENCO may have changed)

Don't assume the existing award will automatically continue. The DWP treats each renewal as a fresh decision. A complacent renewal that says "nothing has changed" without evidence can result in a reduced award or refusal.

What to Include

Updated care diary. Even if your child's needs haven't changed, a fresh 7-14 day care diary demonstrates ongoing care requirements with current detail. Decision-makers need current evidence, not a reference to what was submitted years ago.

New medical evidence. Any letters, reports, or assessments since the last claim — CAMHS reviews, therapy reports, consultant letters, updated prescriptions. If your child has had a new diagnosis (such as an autism or ADHD assessment that was pending last time), include the diagnostic report.

School evidence. An updated letter from the SENCO, a current EHCP or SEN support plan, and any recent school reports that describe the support your child receives. If your child has changed schools, the new school's input is needed.

Changes in medication or equipment. List any new medications, aids, or adaptations. If your child now uses a wheelchair, sensory equipment, or communication aids that weren't in place at the last claim, document them.

Common Renewal Mistakes

Understating needs because you've adapted. After years of caring, intensive routines feel normal. Compare your child's care against what a non-disabled child of the same age would need. The comparative test is the same at renewal as at first claim.

Not mentioning night-time needs that have continued. If your child still wakes frequently, needs settling, or requires overnight supervision, state it in full. Night-time care is one of the most common areas where renewals come back at a lower rate than the original award — because parents forget to detail it with the same specificity as the first claim.

Leaving professional contacts outdated. The DWP may contact the professionals listed on the form. If your child's consultant has moved hospital or the GP surgery has changed, provide current details. An unanswered DWP enquiry to an old address adds delay.

Timing and Continuity

Submit the renewal well before the deadline stated in the pack. If the DWP receives a completed renewal before the award expires, payments continue automatically while the new decision is processed. If you miss the deadline, there may be a gap in payments.

If the renewal results in a lower award or refusal, you have the same challenge rights as a new claim — mandatory reconsideration within one month, then tribunal appeal. DLA payments continue at the existing rate during mandatory reconsideration if you request it within one month of the renewal decision.

Approaching It Systematically

Treat the renewal as seriously as the first claim. Start gathering updated evidence as soon as the pack arrives, keep a fresh care diary running, and complete the form with the same level of detail.

Our Child DLA Claim Guide includes a renewal audit sheet for comparing your child's current needs against the original claim, making it straightforward to identify what's changed and what needs fresh evidence.

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