Know your rights

These pages state the entitlements and free services that exist but that no professional is obliged to mention at first contact — the right to request an assessment yourself, the benefit most families never claim, the appeal route behind a refusal, and the advice services already funded to help you. Each guide states what the entitlement is, what to do, and where every claim comes from. They are grouped by where you are in the journey.

Early concern — something is not right

• Apply for Disability Living Allowance for your child — A non-means-tested benefit for a child who needs more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability — no diagnosis required, and separate from the EHC process.
• Ask the local authority for an EHC needs assessment yourself — You can request an assessment directly from the local authority — the school's agreement is not required.
• Free advice services, matched to where you are — SENDIASS, IPSEA, SOS!SEN, and Contact are free — the gap is that families are rarely told they exist.

On SEN support at school

• Apply for Disability Living Allowance for your child — A non-means-tested benefit for a child who needs more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability — no diagnosis required, and separate from the EHC process.
• Ask the local authority for an EHC needs assessment yourself — You can request an assessment directly from the local authority — the school's agreement is not required.
• Free advice services, matched to where you are — SENDIASS, IPSEA, SOS!SEN, and Contact are free — the gap is that families are rarely told they exist.

Assessment requested — waiting on the decision

• Apply for Disability Living Allowance for your child — A non-means-tested benefit for a child who needs more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability — no diagnosis required, and separate from the EHC process.
• Free advice services, matched to where you are — SENDIASS, IPSEA, SOS!SEN, and Contact are free — the gap is that families are rarely told they exist.

The authority refused to assess

• Apply for Disability Living Allowance for your child — A non-means-tested benefit for a child who needs more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability — no diagnosis required, and separate from the EHC process.
• Free advice services, matched to where you are — SENDIASS, IPSEA, SOS!SEN, and Contact are free — the gap is that families are rarely told they exist.
• Next steps when the authority refuses to assess — A decision not to assess carries a right of appeal, with a fixed deadline and free help available.

Assessment underway

• Apply for Disability Living Allowance for your child — A non-means-tested benefit for a child who needs more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability — no diagnosis required, and separate from the EHC process.
• Free advice services, matched to where you are — SENDIASS, IPSEA, SOS!SEN, and Contact are free — the gap is that families are rarely told they exist.

Plan issued

• Apply for Disability Living Allowance for your child — A non-means-tested benefit for a child who needs more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability — no diagnosis required, and separate from the EHC process.
• Free advice services, matched to where you are — SENDIASS, IPSEA, SOS!SEN, and Contact are free — the gap is that families are rarely told they exist.

Annual review

• Apply for Disability Living Allowance for your child — A non-means-tested benefit for a child who needs more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability — no diagnosis required, and separate from the EHC process.
• Free advice services, matched to where you are — SENDIASS, IPSEA, SOS!SEN, and Contact are free — the gap is that families are rarely told they exist.

At the tribunal

• Free advice services, matched to where you are — SENDIASS, IPSEA, SOS!SEN, and Contact are free — the gap is that families are rarely told they exist.

These guides state entitlements and cite the source of every claim. They are not advice about an individual case — for that, contact IPSEA or your local SENDIASS.