DURHAM County Council is urging families with disabled children to claim benefits they are entitled to receive.

Its campaign, Quids for Kids, starts today and is part of a drive led by the Local Government Association.

Many parents are not aware of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) which is paid to parents providing extra care, attention or supervision for disabled children.

Social services director Peter Kemp said: "If a child has both care and mobility needs then parents can get both components. This can be worth up to £97.15 a week.

"Disability Living Allowance is paid to help towards extra costs of disability and can be spent as parents like. It is tax-free, does not reduce other benefits and can help with claims for extra cash, such as carer's allowance and tax credits.

"Children with mental or physical disabilities can qualify and parents can also make a claim if their child has been statemented at school.''

The council has produced a leaflet about the DLA benefit and how parents can claim.

A lower rate can be claimed from the age of five. The higher rate can be claimed from the age of three but a child must have had mobility needs for at least three months.

Mr Kemp said: "If a child already has an award of DLA, parents can ask the DLA unit to look again at the decision, but if they do this, they could lose their existing award.".

Anyone in County Durham wanting information leaflets about DLA benefits is asked to contact the council's social care direct on 0845-850 5010.