To apply for DLA for DD when we have a household income of over 300k?

Why?

I receive dla for a child. If I had the money I wouldn’t claim it. Until my child is entitled to pip at 16 which in your case your daughter could claim herself.

It’s worth bearing in mind, the government were considering changing PIP, so instead of providing a cash benefit, they may provide vouchers or adaptations instead. Therefore, it may be worth working out where your additional expenses are.

Also, as a PP mentioned, you need to keep her savings under £16,000, for future benefits.

Youre going to get a roasting on here OP - esp with that income, apply for it if you are eligible.

So do you not save anything at all, ever from any of your income?

A blue light emergency is one thing, but in this situation, claiming benefits is just not morally right.

Yes but presumably they will use their overall income to benefit the child so who's to say they can't have savings as well.

There is a huge mismatch between the benefits the Government estimates should be claimed, and what is claimed, with the Government comfortably winning the cash. Just because someone has a good salary doesn’t mean their child is not entitled to a benefit, after all we don’t tell rich people that their children can’t access NHS care, or be blue lighted to hospital.

Are you saying that anyone on DLA or other benefits should have no savings?

As others have said, DLA is often a gateway to other services eg your rate of DLA is taken into account for Short Breaks respite assessment.

As @LostTheMarble says, if services and equipment were funded properly for SEND then we wouldn't need to be using it for replacing a wheelchair when the waiting list is too long or paying for Sensory Integration Therapy when the LA should be providing it.

You’re not doing anything wrong. Disability benefits are the gateway to other things - not cash, but disability related. And the allowance is for the child, so yes. And also yes, when she reaches 16 and it switches to PIP - that’s a much harder benefit to secure, but again its’ for her benefit so household income is irrelevant, and it will secure many other services to which she is entitled.

This as well. So many high earning families feel put out that they work so very hard and get nothing in return, whilst feckless benefits claimers apparently live a wonderful life for nothing. Well here’s the rebate, your disabled children can still be taken care of by the benefits system because you’ve paid into the economy. Benefits should be for those who need it most, who needs it more than a child with a disability?

You should apply for every benefit that she is entitled to receive.

she needs continuity of care. Having some of her benefits in place if something happens to you will be a good start.

you to spend her money appropriately, but that frees you to save your own money for her future. The more you can leave behind, the better.

If she has care needs, you should also get her used to being part of the care system now. Use a day program of some sort or utilize carers if she is eligible. If she isn’t that high needs, then look for a support/social group. This isn’t primarily for your benefit. When you get too sick or too old to care for her, you don’t want it to be a shock that other people are suddenly in her life. She should just start spending more time with them than before.

What about setting up a discretionary trust fund for her so that it wont affect her benefits in future?

But yes its not means tested so claim it. I am sure that her disabilities will have had an effect on your income/cost of living so help provide for her future.

I suspect that school might find it helpful if she gets DLA as well.

You know, what we should do is start expecting the cost of raising disabled children to become state funded. So children who cannot walk to school all entitled to transportation rather than their parents having to fund a car or taxis or specialist prams. Schools should have a separate menu especially for those with food intolerance, prepared separately as well rather than the parents having to provide. There should be free access to specialist equipment at home, not the extra price put on to anything deemed ‘sensory’. Oh an a school uniform access for those of us who need to constantly replace clothes that have been chewed through or shoes wrecked within a couple of weeks no matter how good the quality due to inability to walk well/toe walking/falls etc. And pay parents who have to give up work to care for their children (regardless of if one parent can work full time) a living wage. Raise taxes in general should pay for all this and more. Will cut out the need to give disabled children a payment wouldn’t it. There, fixed a huge hole in the benefits system for you.

That wasn't my question.

The child isn’t earning this. And they won’t be earning it for their lifetime. Circumstances do change too.

The people saying don't claim it morally are bonkers.

If people on higher incomes need an operation, are you saying they should pay privately instead of using NHS resources?! I mean, they may well choose to do so, but they absolutely shouldn't have to! They are more likely to be net contributors than the vast majority, so why shouldn't they get some bloody benefit!

300 grand a year isn't enough?

Yes, of course you should claim it. There's no moral dilemma here. DLA is not means-tested so go for it.

If you do claim it, it is a gateway to other things and often used as evidence of need. And your child will be in the system when they get to a certain age and need different types of help. My experience is that it’s quite important to be in the system and be catered for. Being known to the right agencies does tend to make things easier.

Slightly different but I have just claimed carers ' allowance. I care for DH. But this has impacted my ability to pay into a pension, so saving up this will help in bridging the gap until I can claim my state pension after DH dies. We don't need the money at the moment.

What a crock of shit.

There is a reason it's not means tested. It's to cover THE CHILD'S additional needs, nothing to do with the parents income.

Would you also suggest that high earners cover the cost of the 121 TA at school if needed?

DLA and PIP are needs based. No one gets it without proving they need it on the basis of their disabilities.

You are confusing needs based with means tested.

Need for DLA/PIP isn’t determined by how much money you have or earn.

When did we become such an entitled society? We would all be in a much better place if people only took what they really needed, not what they could take simply because they were "entitled".

You have an income over 300K per year?! You can easily afford to support your daughter's needs.