DLA mobility component for children

What the mobility component is

The mobility component of DLA for children helps with the extra costs of getting around. It has two rates — lower and higher — and there are age rules about when each can start. It is one of the two parts of DLA; the other is the care component.

The two rates and what they pay

Figures are for 2026/27 and usually change each April. Always confirm on GOV.UK.

Lower rate — guidance or supervision outdoors

The lower rate is for a child aged 5 or over who can walk but needs much more guidance or supervision than other children of the same age to get around outdoors in unfamiliar places — for example because of a learning disability, visual impairment or a condition affecting awareness of danger.

Higher rate — the qualifying routes

The higher rate can be awarded on several different grounds, not just difficulty walking. A child can qualify through any one of these routes:

• Route 1 — Cannot walk, or virtually unable to walk. The most common route. Considers distance, speed, manner of walking, and pain or breathlessness. See the section below.
• Route 2 — No legs or feet. A child born without legs or feet, or who has had both legs amputated, qualifies automatically.
• Route 3 — Both deaf and blind. A child who is both deaf and blind, meeting the defined thresholds for each, qualifies.
• Route 4 — Severe mental impairment with severe behavioural problems. This route does not require any walking difficulty — it is based on the combination of conditions. See severe mental impairment and severe behavioural problems.
• Route 5 — Severe visual impairment. Children meeting specific visual acuity criteria may also qualify.

Children must normally be at least 3 years old for most higher-rate routes. Always check the current age rules on GOV.UK.

“Virtually unable to walk” explained

For Route 1, a child does not have to be completely unable to walk. Being virtually unable to walk looks at the overall picture: how far the child can walk before stopping or severe discomfort, how slowly, for how long, and the manner of walking — including pain, breathlessness or risk. It is the combination that matters, not any single factor.

Showing the difference from other children

As with all of DLA for children, what helps is a clear description of how the child is affected compared with other children of the same age, backed by evidence. See how to describe your difficulties and DLA evidence.

Next steps

• See the care component — the other part of DLA.
• Learn about the Motability scheme, which higher-rate mobility can link to.
• Read about the SMI + severe behaviour route.
• Official source: GOV.UK — DLA for children.