Full time Student Son and Family Benefits

[Deleted User]

I have two sons.., one who is 11 and one who is 21. We are all diagnosed with ASD. My older son has also been diagnosed by the Royal Maudsley as having social phobia, anxiety, dyspraxia, and ADHD. After a lot of problems with education, he is going to do a degree at Roehampton University. He has had a DSA assessment and will get quite a lot of support, will live in student accommodation and will also receive some support from social services. He currently gets income related ESA, DLA - mid rate care (knowing what I know now he probably would qualify for high rate care but I didn't want to risk a change to PIP so didn't pursue this) and low mobility.

My younger son gets DLA - high rate care and low mobility.

I currently get Income support and carers allowance plus housing benefit etc for a three bed council property. Council told me as long as my older son lives in student accommodation we will still qualify for 3 bed accommodation. He's unlikely to move out of student accommodation as he does need a fair bit of support. I am currently paying £14 towards housing benefit because my older son counts as an independent adult. His study status while at college was always hanging in the air (Due to a lack of support) so I never claimed that he was a full time student. I don't do well in these kind of meetings - find housing a bit scary so another reason I didn't claim he was a full time student.

So lots of changes going on. My diagnosis is quite new. I am having problems managing due to declining health and a lot of stress due to being in emergency accommodation (now in permanent), trouble with schooling for my sons. I am on the waiting list for a social services support worker but it could take months.

I was told by social services that it wasn't worth me claiming ESA, but was worth claiming PIP, but I am best waiting til I get a support worker as they will help with the forms and be able to support my case. But it could be months. I don't know if they are right. Meanwhile I am quite worried about finances because I don't know what's going to happen to benefits exactly once my older son goes to university.

I will need to support my son for the first two weeks of university while waiting for the loan to come in. I have almost saved the £250 accommodation deposit but because of the house move I haven't saved anything else. So I sense a lot of trouble ahead financially. I also need to find £200 towards a laptop he needs in lectures to take notes etc. I will probably use some of his ESA for this. I believe his ESA will almost disappear because of his student loan (he's due to get £11k). I will be drip feeding him money on a weekly basis. Not knowing what the income will be, I can't work out what the budget for him should be (intend to keep some for holiday spending as well). I am his appointee.

I have gathered that as he will become a full time student, I will lose carers allowance but should be able to transfer that as coming through my younger son (who gets DLA).

I don't even know who I tell at ESA and how? What happens when a person becomes a student with a student loan. I found https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Full-time-students-and-benefits/Who-is-a-full-time-student-for-benefit-purposes#guide-content

So two main questions, would I be better off claiming or not claiming ESA for myself with another son who claims DLA, given I get carers allowance for him? Am I better waiting until I get a support worker, given it could take months? I just don't understand what happens to carers allowance if you claim ESA and then there's severe disability payments. Tried to research it but it just goes over my head. I haven't made a claim for PIP for myself.

How do I deal with my older son's ESA? Who do I tell? What do I need to tell them (so I am prepared with all the information they need)? What happens when a person does this?

BrassicWoman

I have no idea about benefits. But I wanted to say you must be very proud of him for trying this, and it's fab he'll get new life experiences. I am sure he's off to a great start with such a supportive mum.

xx

pmlindyloo

deannatrois wrote: »

I have two sons.., one who is 11 and one who is 21. We are all diagnosed with ASD. My older son has also been diagnosed by the Royal Maudsley as having social phobia, anxiety, dyspraxia, and ADHD. After a lot of problems with education, he is going to do a degree at Roehampton University. He has had a DSA assessment and will get quite a lot of support, will live in student accommodation and will also receive some support from social services. He currently gets income related ESA, DLA - mid rate care (knowing what I know now he probably would qualify for high rate care but I didn't want to risk a change to PIP so didn't pursue this) and low mobility.

My younger son gets DLA - high rate care and low mobility.

I currently get Income support and carers allowance plus housing benefit etc for a three bed council property. Council told me as long as my older son lives in student accommodation we will still qualify for 3 bed accommodation. He's unlikely to move out of student accommodation as he does need a fair bit of support. I am currently paying £14 towards housing benefit because my older son counts as an independent adult. His study status while at college was always hanging in the air (Due to a lack of support) so I never claimed that he was a full time student. I don't do well in these kind of meetings - find housing a bit scary so another reason I didn't claim he was a full time student.

So lots of changes going on. My diagnosis is quite new. I am having problems managing due to declining health and a lot of stress due to being in emergency accommodation (now in permanent), trouble with schooling for my sons. I am on the waiting list for a social services support worker but it could take months.

I was told by social services that it wasn't worth me claiming ESA, but was worth claiming PIP, but I am best waiting til I get a support worker as they will help with the forms and be able to support my case. But it could be months. I don't know if they are right. Meanwhile I am quite worried about finances because I don't know what's going to happen to benefits exactly once my older son goes to university.

I will need to support my son for the first two weeks of university while waiting for the loan to come in. I have almost saved the £250 accommodation deposit but because of the house move I haven't saved anything else. So I sense a lot of trouble ahead financially. I also need to find £200 towards a laptop he needs in lectures to take notes etc. I will probably use some of his ESA for this. I believe his ESA will almost disappear because of his student loan (he's due to get £11k). I will be drip feeding him money on a weekly basis. Not knowing what the income will be, I can't work out what the budget for him should be (intend to keep some for holiday spending as well). I am his appointee.

I have gathered that as he will become a full time student, I will lose carers allowance but should be able to transfer that as coming through my younger son (who gets DLA).

I don't even know who I tell at ESA and how? What happens when a person becomes a student with a student loan. I found https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Full-time-students-and-benefits/Who-is-a-full-time-student-for-benefit-purposes#guide-content

So two main questions, would I be better off claiming or not claiming ESA for myself with another son who claims DLA, given I get carers allowance for him? Am I better waiting until I get a support worker, given it could take months? I just don't understand what happens to carers allowance if you claim ESA and then there's severe disability payments. Tried to research it but it just goes over my head. I haven't made a claim for PIP for myself.

How do I deal with my older son's ESA? Who do I tell? What do I need to tell them (so I am prepared with all the information they need)? What happens when a person does this?

Your son:

Inform the DWP of a change of circumstances - i.e that your son will be a full time student in September. Ask them what information they require (write it down) and then gather the information together (the welfare department of the university will be able to help)
Once you know by how much the ESA is reduced by then you will know his budget. As regards getting a computer and other financial expenditure ask the welfare department at the university. They will have dealt with this before and will know of any charities that may help.

Yourself:
You need to inform carers allowance of the change of circumstances and you wish to change your claim from one son to another. They will send you the appropriate form.

As regards ESA or Income Support the money will not be any different to start (in the assessment phases) with as you are not receiving PIP and therefore do not qualify for any disability premiums. Your CA will be deducted from your IS/ESA and a Carer's Premium added on.

If you go the ESA route, unless you are put in the Support Group then the money for ESA WRAG is the same as Income Support.

My best advice is to go to CAB or a welfare adviser and ask them to do a pre - assessment of ESA and PIP to see if they believe you are eligible.

If you are awarded the daily living component of PIP then this would entitle you to extra disability premiums with both ESA and Income Support so certainly worth looking into.

As a student your son will not be counted as a non dependent for housing benefit purposes so you should be eligible for the 3 bed rate of rent for you house.

You should also inform the council re: council tax of the change of circumstances.

Basically, inform any department that you are receiving benefits from of the change of circumstances.

Alice_Holt

These is a useful helpline for your son:
https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/how-we-can-help/helplines/disabled-students-helpline

Info on the PIP activities & points:
http://www.mybenefitsandwork.co.uk/pip/indexxx.php
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/before-claiming/check-you-are-eligible/

If you think you may be eligible for PIP get help now from your local CAB / advice agency (per pmlindyloo).

[Deleted User]

Thank you for such good advice.