DLA ending at 16

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi all

My son is receiving DLA and has been asked to apply for PIP as he is now 16. DWP have said that DLA will continue until a decision is made about PIP.

However I have just checked my online banking and we have received 3 weeks DLA money up to my sons 16th birthday. Anyone know why this is? Obviously I can ring and ask them tomorrow but I am just a bit worried about it.

Its all a minefield!

Soapaddict

Are you sure you are in a PIP area.. I'm having a similar problem..
Was told when my child is 16 a PiP form would be issued and DLA would continue.. After many phone calls, a letter saying carers allowance is stopping and more phone it turns out the info I was told was wrong. We are not in a PIP area and a DLA reassessment form should have been sent.. I completed this last week and current award runs out next week..

FRESTER

My sons ends on April and we had a letter last week asking for his bank details so they can pay it directly to him from his 16th birthday.
It also said payments will continue until his pip claim is sorted but he can't apply until he is 16.
Could be they want to pay it to your son now he is 16 and need bank details ?

letthemeatcake

They will carry on paying DLA until either his award reaches its end date, he is sent PIP forms or he is sent new DLA forms to continue his current award. My son also reached 16 recently and continued to receive DLA for a couple of months until he was sent new DLA forms to fill out so that his claim could continue. There was no break in payment

PeachyC

it's a very rare case where's it continues to be paid to the carer after sixteen, almost always goes to the disabled young person. Also there is a significant backlog of both PIP and DLA new claims, several months, so they may not have even registered your claim has been sent? I would telephone weekly for advice.

cattermole

I disagree it is a rare case for it not to be to
paid to the parent after 16 it completely depends on the "childs" ability to manage their own affairs if they have a severe learning disability then it is normal for the "parent" to be made an "appointee".

OP phone them anyway to find out what is going on and depending on your son's disability whether you think it will be necessary for you to be made an 'appointee" or not. The DWP then do a home visit to primarily check the identity of the "appointee" which is nothing to be concerned about.

kingfisherblue

My son turned 16 in April this year. Last December, I received a letter telling me that DLA should be paid directly to my son from his 16th birthday, unless he was unable to receive it himself. I can't remember the wording, but it was clear that the only reason to continue to pay it to me would be if my son was incapable of ministering his own money. In that case, I would become my son's appointee.


My son has Down's Syndrome, and although he can count, he really struggles with simple addition and subtraction. He does not understand money - he knows that you need to pay for things, and that you can get change, but has no inkling of value. If he finds 2p on the floor, he dives on it delightedly and wants to buy a Subway! (He would also expect change from his 2p).


I had to fill in a form explaining why I wanted to be my son's appointee. I gave examples, including the one above. I then had a visit from the DWP around February. She was only there for 20 minutes, during which time she spoke to my son. She said that he was clearly unable to deal with his own money, so she filled in a form, which I signed. Before signing it, she had explained that I had a legal responsibility and that I was acting on my son's behalf - very much as I have since he was born.


My son receives HRC and HRM. His award is indefinite. Due to the delays in implementing PIP, my son has not been transferred over yet. It was like pulling teeth, but eventually I found out that he will not be moved over until at least October 2015. This is because his award is indefinite, but I was also told by DLA that all teenagers turning 16 had delays, and that those with a dated award would be transferred over six months after their birthday. In the meantime, payments would continue as before.