DLA Care Diary — Optional 14-Day Evidence Organiser
For child DLA in England and Wales. This optional diary starts with a 14-day overview; you can record other dates too. Use only the period that helps describe actual needs and variation. DWP does not require you to keep or send a diary.
Set up your diary
Choose a start date and, if useful, a first name or initials. Fourteen days is this tool’s optional overview, not a DWP-required period. New child DLA claims are for under-16s; if your child is 16 or over, check the DLA-to-PIP transition rules for their existing award.
- Frequency — how often the care happens (e.g. "5 night wakes per week")
- Duration — how long it takes each time (e.g. "45 minutes to settle")
- Comparison — how it differs from a non-disabled child of the same age
- The full pattern — include typical, better and worse days, and say how often each occurs
- Specific examples — describe the situation, the help needed and what happened, using your own observations
Add an entry
Entries for this day
Your recorded diary at a glance
14-day overview
Choose a day to open it. Counts show entries, not severity or entitlement. An empty date means no entries were recorded, not that no help was needed. The totals above include entries outside this 14-day overview.
Export your diary
Review your entries, then print or use your browser’s “Save as PDF” option. Keeping and submitting the diary is optional. If you choose to send supporting evidence, follow the current DWP claim instructions: send copies by the stated route, not electronic storage media. Do not delay returning your claim form to complete a diary.
Removes this diary’s saved entries and setup from this browser after confirmation. Downloaded files, clipboard text and printed copies remain under your control.
Tips for an accurate diary
- Accuracy is critical. Do not exaggerate, select only difficult days, or minimise routine help. Correct anything that is not representative before using the export.
- The full pattern, not one selected day. Record typical, better and harder days and how often each occurs. If there are three night wakes, record the date, help given and time taken.
- Specific times and durations add clarity. For example, record when an event began, what help was provided, and how long it took, rather than writing only "bad night".
- Use the legal comparison carefully. Describe the extra or different help compared with what a non-disabled child of the same age would reasonably need; avoid assumptions based only on diagnosis.
- Don't filter the things you've normalised. If you cut food into specific shapes, write it down. If you check on them every 20 minutes overnight, write it down.
- Use the child or family's preferred language. Focus on accurate needs, help, frequency, duration and risk rather than labels.