Disability Related Expenses (DRE) are extra costs you have because of a disability or long-term health condition.
These are costs that are not included in your care and support plan. If you have to pay for things to help manage your condition, we may count these costs in your financial assessment. This can reduce how much you pay towards your care.
Limits and evidence
You cannot claim more than the disability benefits you receive for these costs.
You will need to show:
- What the cost is for
- How often you pay it (for example, weekly or monthly)
- How it relates to your condition
You should provide evidence like bills, receipts, or invoices.
How we decide what counts
We follow rules to make sure decisions are fair.
The cost must:
- Be because of your disability or health condition
- Be necessary
- Not already be paid for by another service (like the NHS)
- Be a reasonable amount
How to work out your DRE
Everyone’s costs are different. To help identify yours, you can:
- Think about your daily routine and any extra costs
- Consider if costs change during the year (like higher heating in winter)
- Look at your bills and receipts
- Compare your costs with someone without a disability
- Check if you pay for things not included in your care plan
Examples of DRE
These are just examples, your costs might be different. You should still list anything you think applies.
| Alarms or assistive technology | Paying for a community alarm or care equipment |
| Special diet | Food that costs more because of a medical condition |
| Clothing and footwear | Specialist or adapted clothing, or replacing items more often |
| Bedding | Special bedding or needing to replace bedding more often |
| Extra utility costs | Higher heating, electricity or water use than normal |
| Help at home | Paying someone to do tasks you cannot do yourself |
| Equipment and adaptations | Buying or repairing items like wheelchairs, stairlifts, or adapted IT (if not provided by services) |
| Transport costs | Using taxis because you cannot use public transport (These may not always be allowed if covered by benefits like PIP or DLA) |
How we calculate costs
Regular costs
We look at what you spend regularly and work out a weekly average.
Example:
If you pay £12 a week for cleaning and show receipts, £12 may be counted as DRE.
Utility bills
We already include basic living costs in your assessment.
If your bills are higher than average:
- You need to provide bills (usually for a full year or an estimate)
- We compare them to an average household
- We may include the extra amount as DRE
One off costs
Large one-off purchases (like equipment) may be included.
Before buying, check if the NHS or another organisation can provide it.
Example:
If a wheelchair costs £3,000 but a similar one costs £2,500, we use £2,500.
We then spread this cost over its expected lifetime to get a weekly amount.
How to claim
You can tell us about your DRE:
- During a phone assessment
- On your financial assessment form
- By asking for a review at any time.
Adult Services Care Charging Team contact information
- 01908 253337
Adult Social Care contact information
- 01908 253772
Monday to Friday 8:45am - 5:00pm, Civic, 1 Saxon Gate East, Central Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ