Entitled benefits for 16 year old bipolar daughter?

SharronB

Hello
My daughters just been diagnosed with bipolar, anxiety and depression. This has came as such a shock to me as she was so bright getting A grades at school and 12 GCSE's. She wen't on to do her A levels at sixth form but has decided to drop out. At first I was angry as I did not no the reasons why, I thought she was just being lazy and I was ordering her to get a job etc and she kept saying no.
She then told me about everything, came clean to me about everything and to be honest i suspected it but she always said no when i asked. Long story short we went to the doctors and shes been diagnosed with all 3. She has social anxiety so can not work and can't even so much as leave the house so I will not make her get a job. Shes planning to do a degree at open uni from home so she can carry on learning at the same time.

I have 4 other children under the age of 13 and there father and I have recently got divorced he used to be the earner in the house as I have a 3 month old son to look after as well as a 5 year old a 8 year old and a 12 year old. My daughters dad left a long time again and doesn't make any contact with me or her. We had to move out of our rented house as i couldn't pay the rent nor work at this time because of the children so we moved in to a council house. Im getting benefits now but no child benefit for my daughter, contacted the child benefit office and they confirmed I would be entitled to no benefits since if my daughters not in full time education then she should be working and aparntley it doesn't matter if she has a mental illness or not!!
Im wondering if she would be entitled to ESA benefit. Its such a struggle as it is. I would have no money for food electric gas water etc for her as my benefit is cut now and I would like her to have a bit of money to her self which will hopefully encourage her to be more active.

I just want to know if any what benefit i can get for her because I do not think she is able to work at this time.

[Deleted User]

DLA is the first thing that comes to mind,also esa in youth but i think the rules on that changed(someone will confirm this?)

labyrinth84

I think you would be best to seek advice from CAB.
Just to clarify, when you said you would have no money for food, electric, gas, water etc for her...it may have been worded incorrectly, you don't mean providing for her needs is conditional to benefits? If she doesn't get any, she doesn't get those things? I do hope this was an error in wording, as your daughter is your responsibility and until old enough to fend for herself, her needs come above your own.

I would definitely contact CAB, they will know what help you will be eligible to receive for a child of 16 who is suffering from a diagnosed illness.

Good luck to you both

SharronB

Okay thanks

No I meant it like if she was not eligible for any benefits I would struggle to be able to pay for her share of food gas electric etc as i would be getting no money for her as her father dose not pay me anything either. Obviously I would still continue to pay this for her if she wasn't eligible it would just be a real struggle.

Robbie64

woodbine wrote: »

DLA is the first thing that comes to mind,also esa in youth but i think the rules on that changed(someone will confirm this?)

The ESA in youth route to ESA (which paid ESA under contributory benefit rules) has now ended. However the daughter could claim ESA under normal qualifying rules but it would be means tested.

The OP would have to contact the Tax Credit office (if tax credits are in payment) to have the daughter taken off any tax benefit assessment. If Child Benefit isn't in payment then it's possible no tax credits may be in payment which take the daughter into account as a dependent. If so, then I suggest a claim for ESA is made as soon as possible.

MamaMoo_2

I was diagnosed with the same at age 13, and still suffer now. However, it hasn't affected my ability to work too much. See if there's something your daughter has a passion for, or something that intrigues her. Maybe, if she's crafty, help her start an eBay business selling handmade items to help bus her confidence.
Make sure she sees a psychiatric doctor, not just a GP, as psych doctors have been very helpful in my case.
Most of all, take it a step at a time but don't let her become complacent. With illnesses like these it's far too easy to get stuck in a rut, or in a depressive cycle, so keep your daughter busy with tasks, chores and fun activities. It sounds obvious, but an afternoon baking a cake with you could make all the difference.
Most of all, OP, I wish you and your daughter luck!

midnight_express

Benefit wise the easiest thing would be if she went back into full time education. Please don't write her off with the "disabled" label, she is still capable of great things and a full life. I used to work with a woman who was bi-polar, she was married with children, educated to post grad level and had a full time professional job.
Get her medical help. Contact a relevant charity for advice.

Best Wishes

heartbreak_star

Also get in touch with the CSA if her father's not paying!

HBS x

dundeediva

I have no idea about the ins and outs of all 3 of the illnesses she has been diagnosed with but i work with 2 people who are both bipolar, they both have "normal" working lives, is this an option? Now she has a diagnosis and is hopefully getting help is work (even part time or voluntary to start with) an option?

I'm not saying she shouldnt be getting benefits but speaking to one of the ladies in work, she says being home all day makes her worse as she isnt doing anything constructive.

Good luck

Prinzessilein

Your daughter is 16. She did well with her GCSEs, but the jump to degree level work (even with an 'entry' level course with the OU) is a big one.

Academically, her best bet is honestly to look at getting some A levels first. This will introduce her to higher level work, and also help her to decide which route to take for further/higher education.

You say she has decided to drop her A-Level studies. At her age, I am going to assume she took her GCSEs in summer and started her A-Level studies in September. Was this at school? If so, talk to the school, depending on when she stopped attending there may be options for her to continue her studies. Talk to whoever was her tutor or Head of Year to discuss her options. If she really cannot leave the house at the moment, then there may be ways the school can help her study at home short-term until she feels ready for a phased return.

If she was at College, then contact them. The College will have someone whose job it is to help students with additional needs access the courses on offer. There may also be financial help available via a hardship fund.

Either way, if you can get your daughter back into full-time education, you can claim child benefit for her.

DLA is an option, but remember it is given for her specific needs rather than for any particular condition. It is not the easiest benefit to claim, you will need to consider her care and mobility needs and be able to show how these affect her daily life. When DLA is replaced by PIPs it will become more difficult to claim. A talk to the CAB or a group such as DIAL may help you decide what her realistic chances of a successful claim are.

Her three conditions are all linked and in the early stages of diagnosis the most important thing will be to stabilise her on her medication. She may feel low right now, but with correct medication it will hopefully not be long before she feels brighter. Eventually, she may feel ready to leave the house and face the world again.

Stay strong, and support your daughter. Things will get better. And contact her school/college. Getting back into full-time education really is her best option.

miduck

Is she under CAMHS? If not, she needs a referral - a GP should not be diagnosing bipolar.

I would echo what others say, withdrawing from the education system now will be a massive mistake. If she has left it too late to return this year, perhaps you could (with the assistance of CAMHS and the school) make an action plan that enables her to return in September?