Child on DLA when reaches 16 - any experiences of transfer to adult benefits.

Indie_Kid

deannatrois wrote: »

My 18 year old receives mid rate care and low rate mobility DLA When he turned 16 I was sent the legal responsibility forms and after some discussion with him, said that he was unable to be responsible for money. A lady came round, asked a few questions and that was it.

He is now 18 as I said, and there is still no news on him being changed to PIP. From my reading, this is going to take some time with teens who turn 16 in unpiloted areas of the country (as in a couple of years). He is in full time education and is very likely to be when he is 20 which is when child benefit stops (what I di then I don't know because I don't see how he's going to cope with any adult benefit assessments).

Those of us who are on adult DLA will either be called to claim PIP when our awards end or October 2015. I, for example, am on an indefinite award; so will be assessed in or after October 2015.

PIP has different descriptors than DLA, so it is worth reading them to see if your son is likely to qualify. I think it is 8 points for standard rates, and twelve points for enhanced rates (someone will correct me if I have remembered incorrectly).

Yes that's correct.

SingleSue

I think one of the main bits of advice I can give to people in the pilot areas, is to have all your evidence ready to go before your child hits 16 as the time given is really small from when they send you the letter telling you to claim PIP (you have to wait for this communication before claiming PIP) and when the form needs to be back with them and any postal delays will have a very big impact.

mumto2monkeys_2

Handy this thread as just found out that we will be visited next week - so thank you for putting some of my anxieties to rest.

Interestingly, I asked for DD to be reassessed in January for her DLA rates and we still haven't heard. Apparently they are drowning at the moment. Not holding my breath over the PIP and just hoping it comes back that she is still eligible as lord knows how long it would take if I have to contest the decision.

disabled_NCIS_fan

When I turned 16 it was quite easy. A lady came to the house and asked me a few questions and explained and I signed a form which gives my mum the appointee ship. It is helpful as I can get confused or stressed or I am just asleep from the pills and pain.

YORKSHIRELASS

Just wanted to say that this is all very helpful, thank you. My son turns 16 in November this year and so far, other than a letter a while back telling us that his DLA ends when he is 16, we have heard nothing more.

My sons case is difficult because he has Crohn's Disease which is quite severe and has been very resistant to treatment. In some ways though his mental health problems are more disabling than the actual Crohn's itself and I know this can be hard to quantify. We are just in the process of having an up to date mental health assessment done and I hope we will be able to use this to claim for PIP when it happens.

My son has not been in any form of education for 3 years. He is under the care of an out of school team but just cannot cope with education and because of his fragile mental health his consultant thinks its best not to force the issue.

My son will reach 16 with no prospect of having any GSCEs and we have absolutely no idea what he is going to do. His social skills are poor and I have no idea how he would manage a work placement or college. Whether we get PIP or not financially its very uncertain.

So its good to hear some positive things!

System

Yorkshirelass- do you claim esa for your son?
If not its worth a try . My dd has been placed into the support group it took about 3 months to sort .

Indie_Kid

CHRISSYG wrote: »

Yorkshirelass- do you claim esa for your son?
If not its worth a try . My dd has been placed into the support group it took about 3 months to sort .

Depending on the situation, (ESA can't be claimed until the child turns 16) Yorkshireless might be worse off by doing this; as ESA is (if my maths is correct) less than child tax credits. Of course, it does depend on how much tax credits she receives.

YORKSHIRELASS

CHRISSYG wrote: »

Yorkshirelass- do you claim esa for your son?
If not its worth a try . My dd has been placed into the support group it took about 3 months to sort .

Thanks. We will look into that too when the time comes.

kingfisherblue

I was advised to look into ESA by the school that my son will go to from September (his current school only takes up to 16 years old). The school that he will go to offers bursaries or grants (not sure which) to those on ESA, but tax credits are still a better option for us financially.

cattermole

If OP's child is not in full time education once he turns 16 she won't be entitled to CB or CTC anyway, so he will need to claim ESA instead.

Surprised it took only 3 months for daughter to be put in the Support Group Chris. In our area it is taking up to a year for assessment. Even in very obvious severe cases of severe disablement from birth.