Benefits for Children

If your child has just been diagnosed with a bleeding disorder, here is a summary of the financial help to which you may be entitled.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

While many families successfully claim DLA, not all children with bleeding disorders are eligible. A diagnosis does not mean your child is automatically entitled to it. It can be particularly difficult to get DLA for babies or infants because all children of that age need significant care. However, you can apply if your child needs more care, attention, or supervision than a child of the same age without their condition.

To qualify for DLA, your child must:

be under 16 (anyone 16 or over must apply for Personal Independence Payment)
need extra looking after or have walking difficulties
be in England or Wales when you claim (Northern Ireland has a separate process)
have lived in Great Britain for a certain amount of time based on their age:
- Under 6 months: must have lived in Great Britain for at least 13 weeks.
- 6 months to 3 years: must have lived in Great Britain for at least 26 of the last 156 weeks.
- Over 3 years old: must have lived in Great Britain for at least 6 of the last 12 months.
be “habitually resident” in the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands
not be subject to immigration control.

Note for Scotland: If your child lives in Scotland, you must apply for Child Disability Payment instead of DLA.

We recommend that parents of children under 16 with severe or moderate bleeding disorders consider claiming DLA. For a mild bleeding disorder, this can be harder to prove. You would need to show that your child requires extra help with things such as managing bruising, avoiding injury or specialised medical attention beyond what a typical child needs.

To make a successful claim you must prove the following:

Any physical difficulties, such as joint pain or mobility issues caused by previous bleeds.
The frequency of treatment or the need for supervision to prevent serious injuries.
How the condition affects their ability to live independently or move around safely.

Speak to your haemophilia centre nursing team for help with the form. They can check it before you send it off. Always keep a copy of your completed form; you can take it to your assessment to ensure you cover everything.

Disabled parking – Blue Badge scheme

Blue Badge applications are assessed on individual needs. Generally, children under two are not eligible. However, if your child is under three and needs to be close to a vehicle, you can qualify if you need to:

transport bulky medical equipment
get home or to a hospital quickly for urgent treatment (for example, if they have a bleed or injury).

If your child is over three, they may qualify if they have severe mobility problems. Provide as much detail as possible about how their bleeding disorder affects their ability to walk or their safety.

In 2026, councils in England can charge up to £10 for a badge, while in Scotland the cost is up to £20. They are free in Wales and usually last for three years.

Carer’s Allowance

If your child receives the middle or higher rate of the DLA care component (or the Scottish equivalent), you may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance.

Rate: From April 2026, the rate is £86.45 per week.
Earnings Limit: You must not earn more than £204 per week after tax and expenses.
Time: You must provide at least 35 hours of care a week.

In Scotland, this has been replaced by Carer Support Payment.

Universal Credit (UC) Changes

The main change in 2026 is the removal of the two-child limit.

Scrapping of the Two-Child Limit: You can now receive the “child element” for every child in your household. Previously, this was limited to the first two children born after April 2017. For 2026, this extra payment is worth approximately £292.81 per child, per month.
Childcare Costs: The maximum amount you can claim back for childcare has increased. For each additional child above the current two-child cap, the ceiling has risen by £736.06.
Standard Allowance Increase: The basic monthly amount of Universal Credit (the standard allowance) has increased by 3.8%. For example, the rate for a single person aged 25 or over is now £424.90 per month.
Work Capability Changes: If you are newly found to have “Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity” (LCWRA) from April 2026, the health addition has been reduced to approximately £217.26 a month. Those who were already receiving the higher rate before this date are protected and will stay on their current rate.

Child Benefit Updates

Child Benefit rates have also been adjusted for the 2026/27 tax year:

New Rates: You will receive £26.60 per week for your eldest or only child and £17.60 per week for each additional child.
High Income Child Benefit Charge: If you or your partner earns over £60,000 you may have to pay back some of your Child Benefit through tax. If your income is over £80,000 the tax charge equals the full amount of the benefit.

Important Note: The Benefit Cap

While the two-child limit has ended, the Benefit Cap remains in place. This limits the total amount of benefit a household can receive.

If your total benefits (including the new payments for third or fourth children) exceed the cap, your Universal Credit may be reduced to keep you under the limit.
The cap is currently £25,323 per year in Greater London and £22,020 per year in the rest of the UK. You are usually exempt from this cap if you work enough hours or receive disability benefits like DLA or PIP.

Websites and Resources:

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general guidance only and is based on current GOV.UK sources. Because benefit eligibility depends on how the bleeding disorder affects you or your child personally, we cannot assist with individual applications. We recommend speaking to your haemophilia centre nursing team, who can often provide the necessary medical evidence, or a qualified advisor at Citizens Advice.

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