Hi Jane and others who may be surprised to find they have an automatic entitlement to DLA. Unfortunately this is just not true.
I have just looked at the government website that lists the criteria for claiming DLA and it is as follows (this is copied exactly from the official source and not changed in any way):
Disability Living Allowance - eligibility
You may be able to get Disability Living Allowance if you are aged under 65 and you have needed help with personal care or had walking difficulties because of a physical or mental disability for three months, and you are likely to need this help or have these difficulties for at least another six months.
If you are already getting Disability Living Allowance when you reach 65, it may continue if you still have care and/or mobility needs.
If you have care needs
To get the care component of Disability Living Allowance, your disability must be severe enough for you to either:
need help with things such as washing, dressing, eating, getting to and using the toilet, or communicating your needs
need supervision to avoid you putting yourself or others in substantial danger
need someone with you when you are on dialysis
be unable to prepare a cooked main meal for yourself (if you had the ingredients), if you are aged 16 or over
There are three rates of care component depending on how your disability affects you:
the lowest rate, if you need help or supervision for some of the day or you are unable to prepare a cooked main meal
the middle rate, if you need help or supervision frequently throughout the day, or during the night, or someone with you while on dialysis
the highest rate, if you need help or supervision frequently throughout the day and during the night
You can get Disability Living Allowance for your care needs even if no one is actually giving you the care you need, even if you live alone.
If you have mobility needs
To get the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance, your disability must be severe enough for you to have any the following walking difficulties, even when wearing or using an aid or equipment you normally use:
you are unable or virtually unable to walk, or you have no feet or legs
you are assessed to be both 100% disabled because of loss of eyesight and not less than 80% disabled because of deafness and you need someone with you when you are out of doors
you are severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and qualify for the highest rate of care component
the effort of walking could threaten your life or seriously affect your health
you need guidance and/or supervision from another person when walking out of doors in unfamiliar places
There are two rates of the mobility component depending on how your disability affects you:
the lower rate, if you need guidance or supervision out of doors
the higher rate, if you have any of the other, more severe, walking difficulties
Some people will be entitled to only the care component or the mobility component, others will be entitled to both.
If you're claiming for an ill or disabled child
Your child must need a lot more help or supervision than other children of the same age.
You can claim for care needs before a child is aged three months, but benefit will not be paid before the child reaches the age of three months unless they are paid under 'special rules' (see below).
You can claim for mobility needs from:
age three, if your child is unable, or virtually unable, to walk
age three, if your child is assessed to be both 100% disabled because of loss of eyesight and not less than 80% disabled because of deafness
age three, if your child is severely mentally impaired with severe behavioural problems and qualifies for the highest rate of care component
age five, if your child needs guidance or supervision when walking out of doors
I think the above makes it absolutely clear that the majority of diabetics do not qualify for DLA simply because diabetes, although classed as a disability, is not one that generally requires assistance to lead a normal life or one that results in mobility problems other than in those unfortunate enough to suffer retinopathy and/or neuropathy.