DLA for 16yr old with Aspergers

minimad1970

When will you tell him about the DLA? My son has asperger's but I put it in his name when he turned 16. There's no chance of him wasting the money as he can never remember his pin number so has to ask me! When the people come to visit and talk to him how will you stop him persuading them that he isn't responsible enough to receive what is his money? As I haven't gone through this I just wondered how they decide who to pay the money to if it's not completely obvious that the person isn't able to manage their own affairs.

rogerblack

minimad1970 wrote: »

As I haven't gone through this I just wondered how they decide who to pay the money to if it's not completely obvious that the person isn't able to manage their own affairs.

They take the claimants word for it, unless there is extreme evidence the other way.

To do otherwise would be fundamentally unjust, and indeed illegal.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Fundamentally the authorities give the child the right to become an adult. The right to for example decide where they live, let alone the basics of taking responsibility for managing their own money / health / supported or otherwise needs etc. They will now have a NI number and be an adult, not all changes are bad changes the young adult can grow and mature and be in control of his / her bank account and bills.

As I said in #3 you can ask to become an appointee, if the assessor agrees you will get a separate legal document to sign stating that you will be managing his money.

dorsetlady67

My 17 yr old is not like any other normal 17yr old he has Aspergers,ADHD,Toureetes & NO way is he mental or emotionaly able to handle all of his DLA.
Most days he is not mentaly or emotionaly able to deal with himself.

we filled in the DLA forms & then I wrote a covering letter giving details as to why we as a family didnt think with his abilities he could cope with that amount of money & if given to him the consequences it could have to his emotional wellbeing.
We also asked his old school teacher to write a short letter with her view of my childs abilities/emotional capabilities & her opinion if he was granted access to this amount of money how it would effect him & sent that in with DLA form too.
DLA officer visited our home & they along with our sons agreement agreed that I should still receive his money.

To help him get ready for day to day living I only give him half his money of £50 per week {most dont get this to live on for a week on dss]
& he has to make that stretch the whole week,for club's,college lunch money,football,cinema etc etc
But as i knew he would,he just cant juggle it to last from Friday to friday even with each days wrote down on paper for him.
He is still asking for more & get frustrated when I say no.
He is lending money to everyone,buying them drinks/sweets/tobacco etc etc .

I have not told him the full amount of DLA he is entiteled to, that I get on his behalf not untill he is capable/able to deal with this sum of money.
I use this part of the money for clothing,shoes ,swimming,football boots etc etc but if I told him he would want the money & I would still have to find money to buy this stuff after he has wasted his money.
This way is best for 'My' child but as any parent of an ASD child knows each & everyone of them is different & you can only do what works for your child & your family.

PS; My son knows he is 'Normal' whatever that is,with a few quirky bits thrown in
Im sure it's the rest of us that isnt quite normal to be honest;)