PIP appointee removal

chvrryicee

Hi there,
Im having some issues regarding my PIP money and my appointee (my mum)
I currently receive roughly £300 a month from PIP for my anxiety and depression, I’m 17 now with my own bank account and i’ve asked my mum to transfer the money to my account whenever it comes in as it does belong to me and is my money and i’m capable of being able to manage it for myself, and also because i’m currently not in any form of education and I have a job that only pays roughly £100 a month so i could do with the money. My mum is blatantly refusing saying that she needs the money more than me and she’s an adult and will use it correctly. None of the money is being used on me it’s all going towards rent/bills and to pay for her nails/lashes etc. I’m getting fed up of being treated like a child and i know that that money is meant to be used on me to help with my problems. I told my mum that i can legally call up PIP and get her removed as an appointee she’s abusing her power as my appointee and not even allowing me to have ANY of the money that is mine, she told me that if i do this she will kick me out and have nothing to do with me anymore. I’ve tried compromising asking the money be put in my account and i give most of it to her to help while i keep a little for myself but again she’s refusing. Can someone please help me, I don’t want to have to remove her or be kicked out but at this point i have no choice, i’m not happy living here i feel controlled and i’m treated like a little kid. I just really need advice with the whole situation please because i’m not 18 yet it’s going to be a struggle. I just want to remove her and have access to my own money and if that’s reason enough for her to kick me out then so be it but i really need help with this all please. 
Thank you for listening. 

marcia_

chvrryicee said:

Hi there,
Im having some issues regarding my PIP money and my appointee (my mum)
I currently receive roughly £300 a month from PIP for my anxiety and depression, I’m 17 now with my own bank account and i’ve asked my mum to transfer the money to my account whenever it comes in as it does belong to me and is my money and i’m capable of being able to manage it for myself, and also because i’m currently not in any form of education and I have a job that only pays roughly £100 a month so i could do with the money. My mum is blatantly refusing saying that she needs the money more than me and she’s an adult and will use it correctly. None of the money is being used on me it’s all going towards rent/bills and to pay for her nails/lashes etc. I’m getting fed up of being treated like a child and i know that that money is meant to be used on me to help with my problems. I told my mum that i can legally call up PIP and get her removed as an appointee she’s abusing her power as my appointee and not even allowing me to have ANY of the money that is mine, she told me that if i do this she will kick me out and have nothing to do with me anymore. I’ve tried compromising asking the money be put in my account and i give most of it to her to help while i keep a little for myself but again she’s refusing. Can someone please help me, I don’t want to have to remove her or be kicked out but at this point i have no choice, i’m not happy living here i feel controlled and i’m treated like a little kid. I just really need advice with the whole situation please because i’m not 18 yet it’s going to be a struggle. I just want to remove her and have access to my own money and if that’s reason enough for her to kick me out then so be it but i really need help with this all please. 
Thank you for listening. 

 Do you plan on paying your mum for your keep? Costs money to feed, clothe and house another person. 

WelshPaul

The money does not belong to you, it belongs to your mum, and she is responsible for it. She has a duty of care to use it for your day-to-day living costs, and she is liable to repay any overpayment. That doesn’t mean she can keep the money for herself and use it to purchase luxuries for herself. The DWP can and do look at claims to make sure an appointee is acting in the best interests of the person they are responsible for.

I don’t know how capable or how responsible you are, but if your mum just transferred said money to your bank, and you’re reckless with it, she is responsible. You blow it and later the DWP decide you are not entitled to some or all of that money. It is your mum who has to pay it all back.

All that said, have a read of the following:
https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/removing-an-appointee/

poppy12345

WelshPaul said:

The DWP can and do look at claims to make sure an appointee is acting in the best interests of the person they are responsible for.

Do they? I've heard of far too many people being financially abused because their appointee isn't spending the money in the claimants best interests. Yet I have never heard of DWP doing any checks.

I've been my daughter's appointee since 2017 and have never had any checks from anyone. Not that I keep her money because I don't. I take her half of the bills and transfer everything else to her. 

It's also not as easy as the link you posted suggests to have an appointee removed. 

Bigwheels1111

I think you are on a hiding to nothing.
Your mum could give you the £300, then ask for it back as rent.
The only option I see is wait until you are 18 and move out.
I do not believe that would be in your best interest, life in the real world is hard.

As my mum said, my house my rules.

HillStreetBlues

With regards to an appointee the DWP still are in the dark ages. You contact them and at times are told the only way to remove an appointee is for them to resign (untrue) even when there is financial abuse. It's akin to needing permission from an abusing partner for you to leave them.

Spoonie_Turtle

Do you have any trusted adult you could ask for help to approach maybe the Citizens Advice Bureau, or another help organisation?
This link might be of use https://www.youthaccess.org.uk/our-network/find-help  (it also might not, I really don't know what help there is, sorry).

Some of the responses here don't seem to be taking into account that you are a vulnerable young person who is quite possibly being financially abused - you are right that your mum should be using the PIP money for your needs.  It is generally reasonable to expect a young person to be contributing some of their income to household expenses, but not reasonable to prevent you from benefiting from the rest of it.  I'm sorry you're in this situation, and that there may be no simple option to make it easier.