Dla for a child....for them or household?

mummyroysof3

Just wondered what people's opinions are. Dla is paid for care needs but what if there needs are met without using all the money? Do you add it to household budget or not?

Horseunderwater

Yes it is for care needs, but it does not need to be used for that and if your child benefits from you using the money for say food, then that is fine too. Or you could put it aside and save up for something nice to treat the child to in due course.

Own_My_Own

Do you use things more because if the disability ? Petrol ?

Do your other children miss out on things because of the disability ?
If yes then maybe use some of the money to take them to the pictures.

fabforty

Horseunderwater wrote: »

Yes it is for care needs, but it does not need to be used for that and if your child benefits from you using the money for say food, then that is fine too. Or you could put it aside and save up for something nice to treat the child to in due course.

^^^ this. My personal view (which I know is not shared by everyone ) is that benefits make up a household budget. The same question often arises in relation to child specific benefits - CB/CTC. If your other children miss out on things as a result of your child's disability, it might be nice to use spare money to treat them. Or save it, you don't know what other changes to the benefit system my be around the corner.

allen35

There are no guidlines (thanks be to.....) on how you spend entitlement for a child whether it be Child Benefit, Tax Credits or DLA.

I know people who put it away for the child's future, others who save for a holiday and others who spend it like they wish, they are all within their rights and good luck to them, you are responsible for the child and therefore you make the decision on how their early life pans out.

bloolagoon

Whether it is household or disability depends on the agenda of the poster. I suspect everyone uses as household income, only exceptions are when they don't want it included for whatever reason (council tax or housing payments) then it becomes, it's only for disability.

Dunroamin

bloolagoon wrote: »

Whether it is household or disability depends on the agenda of the poster. I suspect everyone uses as household income, only exceptions are when they don't want it included for whatever reason (council tax or housing payments) then it becomes, it's only for disability.

You've been reading the same posts as me!;)

Dunroamin

fabforty wrote: »

^^^ this. My personal view (which I know is not shared by everyone ) is that benefits make up a household budget. The same question often arises in relation to child specific benefits - CB/CTC. If your other children miss out on things as a result of your child's disability, it might be nice to use spare money to treat them. Or save it, you don't know what other changes to the benefit system my be around the corner.

The difference with this is that people post about not being able to afford school uniform/trips/clothing when they've spent the money given to them for that purpose on something else.

FBaby

The answer very much depends on whether you look at it from a moral or legal stand.

justmel

My daughter gets DLA,in our view that money is hers and not ours but my husband as her apointee (sp) is 'in charge' of it.

It would never be spent in a way that did not benefit her but may be spent on things that are used by other family members.

She has night time incontinence,if the washing machine packed up the money might be used to pay for a new one and that would obviously be something the whole family would gain from.

We use more electricity,it may help with bills,we use more petrol,it may help with that,things she is not aware of but come from her having a condition really but obviously it takes the burden off of the whole family.

As long as she directly benefits from the way the money is spent then fine but it will never be used in a way that doesn't.

GwylimT

Both really, our sons direct needs would be met when I received his DLA, such as special shoes, wheelchair maintenance etc (he had extensive feet operations for 6 years from age 3-9). Something things could be considered for the whole family, for example we needed a larger car to fit his wheelchair, as he didn't get the highest rate of DLA we couldn't rent a motability car, so I bought a car on finance and used a small part of his DLA towards the payment.

When I had some DLA left at the end of the month sometimes I would put it into his bank account and sometimes I would use it so he could go on a fun day out or have a general treat.