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Living in Great Britain

To get Disability Living Allowance you must be in Great Britain, or be treated as living here, and meet certain other conditions about your residence and presence.

You must:

• be normally resident in Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales), and
• not be subject to immigration control, and
• be in Great Britain when you make your claim, and
• have been in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey or Guernsey for at least 26 weeks out of the last 52 weeks (the period is 13 weeks for babies under 6 months old and does not apply at all for people paid under special rules).

Time spent living in another European Economic Area country may in some cases be treated as a period in Great Britain for the purposes of the 26-week rule.

You may be treated as living in Great Britain if you are:

• a member of HM Armed Forces serving abroad or member of their family
• a mariner or airman working abroad
• working in the United Kingdom sector of the continental shelf (for example, on an oil rig)

If you receive Disability Living Allowance and move to another country in the European Economic Area or Switzerland, you may continue to receive it under certain circumstances.

• Taking disability benefits abroad

Changes in circumstances

Changes to your circumstances can affect whether you should get Disability Living Allowance or the amount you get. This includes if your care or mobility needs change, if you go into an National Health Service (NHS) hospital or a care home or independent hospital or if you go abroad to live or visit.

It's important that you contact the office that deals with your payments.

Your disability or medical condition

Changes in circumstances include you, or someone you claim for, needing less help with personal care or supervision, or having less difficulty walking, because your condition has improved or you have an aid to help you.

If your condition, or the condition of someone you care for, gets worse and you need more help or you have greater walking difficulties, this could mean that you, or the disabled person, can get more money.

National Health Service (NHS) hospital

Changes in circumstances include you, or someone you claim for, going into or leaving an National Health Service hospital.

• Hospital stays and your benefits

Care homes and independent hospitals

Changes in circumstances include you, or someone you claim for, going into or leaving a care home or independent hospital.

• Care homes and hospital (general home and community section)

Going abroad to live or visit

If you are going to live abroad permanently you cannot usually get Disability Living Allowance. But, if you started getting Disability Living Allowance before 1 June 1992, you may be able to continue getting it if you move to another country in the European Economic Area.

If your visit abroad is temporary, you may continue to get Disability Living Allowance if:

• Claiming benefits in Europe (general money, tax and benefits section)