SEND Hub - money matters

There are a wealth of resources of available if you need financial support as a parent or carer of a SEND child. Please see below for more support information at each stage. 

The kind of support you get will depend on your needs and circumstances. We've put together an overview of the main kinds of support you could get on this page.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

If you’re under 16, you can apply for a Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to help you with day-to-day costs.  

You can apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) if: 

• you have a physical disability or a learning difficulty or mental health support needs 
• you need someone to support you, or you have difficulty walking and getting about 
• you have needed this support for at least three months and it’s likely to continue for at least another six months 
• you are under 16 years old 

Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

If you’re over 16 and in education, you can apply for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) to help you with day-to-day costs. 

This does not affect your student finance, which is money you may be able to borrow to help pay for university or college fees and to help with living costs.  

You can apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) if you live in England and have a disability that affects your ability to study. 

This may be a: 

• learning difficulty such as dyslexia or ADHD 
• mental health condition like anxiety or depression 
• physical disability, for example if you’re partially sighted or have to use crutches 
• long-term health condition such as cancer, chronic heart disease or HIV 

You’ll need to give proof of your disability or condition. 

You must also: 

• be taking a full-time or part-time undergraduate or postgraduate course in the UK (including Open University or distance learning) that lasts at least a year 
• qualify for student finance 

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is money for people over 16 who have extra care needs or difficulty getting around because of a disability. You could get between £23.30 and £148.85 a week. The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you. A health professional will work out the level of help you can get.  

If you’re over 18 you might be able to claim Universal Credit. 

You can use a benefits calculator to check what benefits you could get.

If you’re 16 or over and your illness or disability affects how much you can work, you can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). This can include: 

• financial support 
• personalised help to get back into work 

A Personal Budget is financial support from the council which can help with the cost of your support and living.