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Defining Dyslexia

Evidence and adjustments

Can a dyslexia assessment support a DLA application?

Disability Living Allowance for children looks at the extra care, support or supervision a child needs compared with children of the same age. A dyslexia assessment report can describe a child's learning profile and the difficulties they experience day to day. Whether that is useful within an application depends entirely on the individual child and the needs being considered.

Ask whether your existing evidence may be sufficient Do I need a new assessment?

Please read this first

Where the boundaries sit

That is not meant to be discouraging. Many families find that describing their child's everyday difficulties clearly, using information they already hold, is more useful than arranging anything new. This page is here to help you work out what you have and what, if anything, is missing.

The starting point

DLA looks at needs, not at labels

  • It is about care, support and supervision

    DLA for children considers whether a child needs substantially more care, support or supervision than children of the same age, and whether they have difficulty walking or getting around.

  • A diagnosis does not establish eligibility

    Having a dyslexia diagnosis does not by itself mean a child will qualify. Equally, not having one does not prevent a family from applying.

  • A report may describe relevant difficulties

    A diagnostic report can describe difficulties with reading, memory, processing speed, organisation or completing tasks that other children of the same age manage independently.

  • Usefulness depends on the child

    The value of a report within an application depends on the individual child and the particular difficulties being considered. It may be very relevant, partly relevant, or not the right evidence at all.

  • Other information often matters more

    School information, support plans, reports from other professionals and clear descriptions of the everyday help a child needs at home can all be important.

  • We cannot decide whether somebody will qualify

    Defining Dyslexia has no role in the decision and cannot tell you whether an application will succeed. Please use the current official guidance when completing an application.

Being clear about it

What a dyslexia report can and cannot provide

It helps to separate what a diagnostic report genuinely does from what people sometimes hope it will do.

What a report can do

  • Describe a child's learning profile, including strengths as well as difficulties.
  • Explain the functional difficulties identified, such as reading, writing, memory, processing or organisation.
  • Record recommendations and the support needs identified during the assessment.

What a report cannot do

  • Provide a guaranteed entitlement to DLA. Entitlement is decided by DWP against its own criteria.
  • Provide medical evidence. A diagnostic dyslexia assessment is an educational assessment, not a medical one.
  • Predict how any particular application will be decided.

Before arranging anything new

Information you may already have

Families are often further forward than they realise. Any of the following may already describe your child's needs.

  • An existing diagnostic or educational report.
  • School support plans, such as a support plan, provision map or EHCP paperwork.
  • Information from the SENCo or class teacher about the support provided at school.
  • Evidence of the support or supervision you provide at home.
  • Relevant medical or other professional information.
  • Examples of how your child's needs differ from those ordinarily expected at their age.

You do not need to have everything before getting in touch. We can work with the information available and help identify anything else that may be useful.

Check the current rules yourself

Official UK sources

Benefit rules and processes are set by the Department for Work and Pensions. Always work from the official guidance rather than from any private website, including ours.

Information checked against current GOV.UK guidance. Benefit rules and processes can change, so always check the official information before applying.

Knowledge Centre

Related reading

Where are you on the journey?

What might be useful next?

Only the steps that are likely to be genuinely relevant.