What the child disability premium is and how it affects your housing benefit

The child disability premium is an extra amount of money added to your housing benefit if you have a child who receives certain disability benefits. It is not a separate benefit you claim on its own — it is an increase to the housing benefit payment you already receive or could receive.

The premium exists because raising a disabled child costs more. The extra money is meant to help cover some of those additional costs, including housing. If you are getting housing benefit and have a child getting disability living allowance (DLA) or personal independence payment (PIP), you may be may have access to to this premium without having to ask for it — though you do need to make sure the local authority knows about your child's disability benefit.

This matters because the amount can be substantial. The exact figure changes each year, but the premium is one of the larger additions available within the housing benefit system. Missing out because the local authority does not know your child gets DLA or PIP means losing real money each week.

Key Takeaways

  • The child disability premium adds extra money to your housing benefit payment if your child gets disability living allowance or personal independence payment.
  • You do not claim the premium separately — it is added automatically once the local authority knows your child receives DLA or PIP.
  • The amount varies by year and is set by the government, but it is one of the larger premiums within the housing benefit system.
  • You must tell your local authority about your child's disability benefit for the premium to be added to your housing benefit.
  • If you are already getting housing benefit, contact your local authority to check whether the premium has been included in your payments.

Who can get the child disability premium

You can get the child disability premium if you are getting housing benefit and you have a child (under 16) who is getting disability living allowance or personal independence payment. The child must be a member of your household — living with you as part of your family.

The child's disability benefit does not have to be at a particular rate. Whether they get the lower, middle, or higher rate of DLA, or the standard or enhanced rate of PIP, the premium is the same. What matters is that they are receiving one of these benefits.

You can only get one child disability premium per child, even if the child gets both DLA and PIP at the same time (which is rare but possible during a transition). If you have more than one disabled child, each one can add a separate premium to your housing benefit.

How the premium is added to your housing benefit

The local authority that pays your housing benefit calculates the premium automatically once they know your child gets DLA or PIP. You do not fill in a separate form or make a separate claim. The premium is straightforward added to the weekly or monthly housing benefit amount they send you.

The premium is included in your total housing benefit payment. It does not arrive as a separate payment or appear as a line item on every payslip — it is part of the overall amount. This means if your housing benefit is paid weekly, the premium is divided across those weekly payments.

If you are already getting housing benefit and your child starts getting DLA or PIP, tell your local authority when ready. They will backdate the premium to the date your child's disability benefit started, as long as you report it within a reasonable time. Delays in reporting can mean you lose money you were may have access to to.

What happens when your child turns 16

The child disability premium stops when your child turns 16. At that point, they may become may have access to to different support — such as income support with a disability premium if they are not working — but the child disability premium itself ends.

You should tell your local authority before your child's 16th birthday so they can remove the premium from your housing benefit on the correct date. If you do not tell them, they may continue paying it and then ask for the overpayment back later.

If your child is still in full-time education after 16, they may still be treated as a dependent child for other purposes, but the child disability premium specifically ends at 16. Check with your local authority about what other support might be available once the premium stops.

How to make sure you are getting the premium

If you are getting housing benefit and have a child on DLA or PIP, check your most recent housing benefit statement or letter. It should show the amount of housing benefit you are may have access to to and may list any premiums included. Look for a line that says "child disability premium" or similar wording.

If you cannot find it mentioned, or if the amount seems too low, contact your local authority's housing benefit team. Tell them your child's name, date of birth, and the date their DLA or PIP started. Have your child's benefit letter to hand — it will show the benefit type and the date it began.

If the premium has not been added, the local authority should add it and backdate it to when your child's disability benefit started. This can mean a lump sum payment to you, depending on how long the premium was missing.

What to do if you are not getting housing benefit yet

If you are not currently getting housing benefit but you have a child on DLA or PIP, you may be may have access to to it. The child disability premium would be added to whatever housing benefit amount you may have access to for based on your rent and income.

To find out whether you can get housing benefit, contact your local authority's housing benefit team. They will ask about your rent, your income, and your savings. Having a child on disability benefits does not automatically mean you will get housing benefit — it depends on your financial situation — but if you do may have access to, the premium will be included.

You can also ask your local authority whether you might be better off claiming universal credit instead of housing benefit. Some people get more money through universal credit, which has its own disability-related additions. The local authority can explain the difference for your situation.

How the premium interacts with other benefits and support

The child disability premium is separate from the disability living allowance or personal independence payment your child receives. Your child still gets their DLA or PIP in full — the housing benefit premium is additional money for you as the parent or carer.

If you are getting universal credit instead of housing benefit, you will not get the child disability premium. Universal credit has a different system of additions for disabled children, called the disabled child addition. If you are on universal credit, that addition serves a similar purpose but is calculated differently and may be a different amount.

The child disability premium does not affect other benefits you might be getting, such as child benefit, child tax credit, or working tax credit. It is an addition within the housing benefit system only.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my child have to be on the higher rate of DLA for me to get the premium?

No. The child disability premium is added to your housing benefit if your child gets any rate of disability living allowance or personal independence payment. The rate does not matter — whether it is the lower, middle, or higher rate of DLA, or standard or enhanced rate of PIP, the premium is the same.

What if my child's DLA or PIP is being appealed or reviewed?

The premium is based on your child actually receiving the benefit, not on an appeal or pending decision. If your child's benefit has been stopped pending a review, the premium should stop too. If the benefit is reinstated after appeal, the premium should restart. Tell your local authority about any changes to your child's benefit status.

Can I get the premium if I am renting from a family member?

Generally, yes — as long as you are paying rent and the arrangement is genuine. However, some local authorities have rules about housing benefit for family lettings. Contact your local authority to check whether they will count the rent you pay to a family member and include the child disability premium.

What happens if I move house while getting the premium?

The premium continues as long as your child is still on DLA or PIP and you are still getting housing benefit. When you move, tell your new local authority (if you are moving to a different area) about your child's disability benefit so they include the premium in your new housing benefit calculation from the start.

Can I get the premium backdated if I did not report my child's benefit?

The local authority will backdate the premium to the date your child's disability benefit started, as long as you report it within a reasonable time. What counts as "reasonable" varies, but reporting within a few months is usually accepted. The longer you wait, the less likely a full backdate becomes, so report it as soon as you can.