Benefiting you

Our volunteer-delivered service helping Brent and Southwark families with DLA forms.

What is Benefiting You?

We understand the financial pressures families with a disabled child face. And we know how life-changing the benefit Disability Living allowance (DLA) can be. But many families miss out on claiming DLA, as they don’t know have access to help to complete the long and detailed form.

Benefiting You is a new service delivered by our trained volunteers, called DLA Supporters. Our DLA Supporters can help you complete the DLA form via Zoom at a time convenient to you.

The service is currently available to parent carers in Southwark and Brent only. We will be looking to roll it out to the surrounding London boroughs as the service grows.

Or for further information, please contact benefitingyou@contact.org.uk

“I just wanted to let you know, with all your help my son has been awarded high rate DLA. I just want to thank you for this and all your help. This will be a massive help to me and my family and especially my little boy with all his sensory toys, nappies – just everything etc.“

Book an appointment

It’s quick and simple to book a Benefiting you appointment – just click below on the date you’d like your appointment and select a time slot, then complete the form and press the submit button.

We’ll then send you a confirmation email with the details you’ve supplied and information on how to prepare for your appointment. If you don’t receive an email straightaway, please do check your junk mail.

Important information before booking

• Please ensure that you book your call for a time that you know you will be free to talk and somewhere that you feel safe and quiet so that you can get the most out of the time you have.
• Appointments are two hours long.
• This service is only for new DLA applications.
• Please ensure you have requested a copy of the DLA form from the DLA Unit. (This is because your form will be stamped from the date you requested the form, and your payment will then be backdated if your claim is successful). You can request a form by calling the DLA Unit on 0800 121 4600.

There are two options for getting help from our DLA Supporter:

• Online assistance: Our DLA Supporter can complete the form online with your answers. After filling it out digitally, they can email you a copy of the completed form. You will then need to print the form and attach it to the paper version and post it to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
• Paper form completion: Alternatively, you can complete the paper form yourself while our DLA supporter provides guidance and advice. This means you’ll physically fill out the paper form with their assistance.

What the Benefiting You team can do:

• Our volunteers provide information, guidance, and resources to help you understand if you child may qualify for DLA.
• Our volunteers can help you to complete a new DLA claim (for your child) (This service is available to Southwark & Brent parent carers with children age 0 -16)
• Our volunteers can connect you to other Contact services, projects, and support.
• If you have any enquiries while completing the form, our volunteers will signpost you to our website or other local or national services.

We are a small team.

What the Benefiting You team cannot do:

• Our volunteers cannot post your completed form to the DLA unit. Once the form is completed, posting the form is your responsibility.
• Our volunteers cannot contact the DLA unit on your behalf.
• Our volunteers cannot provide you with a copy of your completed form in the future, as we do not hold your data once the form is completed.
• Our volunteers cannot provide advice or represent you at appeal if the DLA claim is unsuccessful.
• Our volunteers cannot provide advice on other issues after we have helped you with the DLA form. Visit our information and advice pages or get in touch with our helpline team.

Complete the form below to book an appointment

Due to funding, this service is currently available to parent carers in Southwark and Brent only.

If you cannot find an available appointment time below, please contact benefitingyou@contact.org.uk