After your disability related expenditure assessment request

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We work in line with the Care Act 2014. We look at all DRE claims on an individual basis rather than take a blanket approach. This means we can't have a definitive list of DREs. Each person is different, with unique care needs and expenses.

Once you have made your request and we have all the evidence, we will start the assessment process.

Your request is accepted

If we accept your request, we will contact you to discuss the next steps. We will let you know how this changes your care costs. We may ask you to keep ongoing receipts or bills for proof.

The allowance will start from the date we get the last, suitable evidence.

At least once a year, we will check your agreed individual allowance. As well as the evidence we ask you to keep. We will do this as part of your planned care and support review.

You can ask us to look at your individual allowance at any time if you have extra expenses.

Your request is declined

We look at each request on an individual basis. Everyone has different disabilities, illnesses, and needs. No two people are the same.

We may decline your request if you do not follow the eligibility criteria.

It may be that some of your request is reasonable. If this is the case, we will contact you and explain how you can put in a request again.

Working out the extra disability related expense

To work out the disability expenses, it depends on what you're claiming for. For example, if your yearly household bills are above the average for your household size, we can allow for the extra expense.

Once we have all the evidence, we will add the expenses together (if they are reasonable). We do this to check if you're over the weekly standard disability related expense allowance (DREA).

If over, we will take off this higher amount when looking at your income in the financial assessment. If less, the weekly DREA continues.

Essential expenses

An expense is essential if it must be paid for, not optional. For example, you need specific food for your diet. If you bought this without needing it, it is not essential.

Reasonable expenses

An expense is reasonable when it is a fair price. For example, you need to buy specialist shoes for £30. But, if you submit a DRE claim for £100, that cost is not reasonable. We would accept the £30 expense claim.

Contact us

If you need help getting evidence, or if you need to talk through your request, contact us:

• email: DRE@kent.gov.uk
• call: 03000 41 59 30.

If we declined your request and you are not happy with the decision, contact your social worker.