Son has turned 18 still in school DLA help

greenface

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and i hope you can help.
Our son is in receipt of DLA (high)& (high) and is still in school i get carers allowance.
He has just turned 18 and plans to remain in school/college for a few more years.We still receive Child Benifits for him, what is the logical next step to make now he is his "own man"
Do we keep the child/school benifits and the attached "child" perks involved (free benifits as a child) dental, mobility or do we change into adult services pastures. Is there a greater option
Our borough hasnt had a transition officer for two years so help and advice is hard to access
thanks in advance

suelees1

He can still be classed as your dependant while you're in receipt of Child Benefit for him. However as you suggest he can claim in his own right (and could have done from being 16 yo).

Not only do you have to consider whether he is capable of managing his own affairs (this would obviously depend on his condition) but also to compare the income differences. You'd lose Child Benefit and any Child and Working tax credit you're currently awarded for him. You'd continue to claim Carer's Allowance as long as you met the conditions.

He'd most likely be awarded Incapacity Benefit (in Youth) and as this would currently be less than the law says he needs to live he could also claim Income Support to bring the total weekly income to £86.40 pw (personal allowance, disbility premium and enhanced disability premium). Because of the IS he'd also have automatic entitlement to all the health costs as now.

However as he is in receipt of the high rate care component of DLA he'd get long term rate of IB after 6 months rather than a year. This is paid at £93.15 so he'd then have 'excess income' and his IS would stop.

If he has no IS then he isn't passported to free health costs. He could however submit an HC1 form which is for those on low income to apply for exemption.

I just hope I've got my sums right but if not someone will let us know

greenface

:T thanks and brilliant you have just told me more than school and connexions have . thanks again:T