How do I fill in the DLA form for an autistic child?

Get the form, then write to the test it scores

Get the DLA1 Child claim form from gov.uk, then use its free-text boxes - not the tick boxes - to give dated examples of the extra care your autistic child needs versus a same-age child. No diagnosis is required. You can also request the form by calling 0800 121 4600. Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a functional benefit, not a label benefit: it scores how much more looking after your child needs than a child of the same age without a disability, so the form is your chance to translate "autism" into care, prompting and supervision.

Before you write a word: keep a diary

Spend one to two weeks keeping a short care-and-behaviour diary before you start. Note the worst days, not the best, and how often they happen, because the form is judged on your child's typical difficult day, not their calm one. Quantify the time you spend, as minutes and times per day, on things such as:

• prompting through dressing, washing, eating and bedtime routines;
• managing meltdowns, shutdowns and the recovery time afterwards;
• night waking and the supervision a broken night needs;
• safety supervision - road sense, no sense of danger, sensory or eloping risks - that a same-age child would not need.

Fill it in: examples, not adjectives

1. In each care box, give a specific, dated example rather than ticking and moving on. "On 14 March he refused all food until 11pm and I prompted him every few minutes for two hours" scores; "he has eating difficulties" does not.
2. Always benchmark against a child the same age without a disability - the form is asking for the gap, so name it.
3. List every professional involved - GP, paediatrician, CAMHS, SENCO, occupational therapist - with their contact details, so the decision-maker can verify what you describe.
4. Send only the supporting-statement section (Question 38) to someone who knows your child well, such as their teacher or SENCO. Do not hand them the whole form - just that page.

You do not have to wait for an autism assessment to claim. The test is functional, so a child still on the diagnostic waiting list can, and should, claim now (GOV.UK: DLA for children eligibility).

The timeline and the traps

The difficulties must have lasted three months and be expected to last at least six more. Return the claim pack within six weeks so your claim date holds - DLA starts from the date the form is received (or the date you called) and cannot be backdated. Photocopy or photograph the whole form before you post it, so you have a record if you need to challenge a decision. If the claim succeeds, DLA for children is paid at between £30.30 and £194.60 a week in 2026/27 (from 6 April 2026), depending on the level of help your child needs.

If it feels overwhelming

Free expert help with the form is available - Citizens Advice, or Contact's helpline on 0808 808 3555 for families with disabled children. They will go through the boxes with you and help you put the care and supervision into the words the form scores.

This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.