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

It is worth claiming if eg: you earn 300k but your DH can only work very part-time as your DD can't do wraparound on top of attending school. He could then use it to apply for Carer's allowance to top up his NI contributions during these years.
(Or if you both work, someone else on this thread might find that info useful)

YANBU. It’s her money if she is awarded it. It doesn’t matter how much money you have. You could have millions in the bank and if she meets the criteria she would still be entitled to the money. Why shouldn’t she have an extra bit of money to make her life a little bit easier on top of the money you bring in?

The whole process is so stressful. If we had 300k a year, I wouldn't bother

Benefits are a safety net. She may need a safety net when you are no longer able to help her, but do you need it now?

how is this going to work? Most people I know spend it on general households expenses as usually at least one parent has to reduce working hours or give up work. Do you keep the Tesco receipts?

Yes you should claim it. It’s a modest tax break for someone like you to recognise the some of the expenses of having a child with additional needs.

Where we used to live children in mainstream school could only gain specialist transport if they had DLA, an EHCP alone wasn’t enough.

This is unlawful.

Transport for children with SEND isn't legally measured by whether they get DLA or not. It is not connected and could be challenged under the law.

It may be a local policy but it has zero to do with actual law around nearest suitable place of education, in England at least.

Just in case this example puts anyone off applying for transport where a child or YP has an EHCP.

SENTAS will give you all the info needed around the legality of LA claims. LA's are notorious for this kind of thing as a money saving device and it's like red rag to a bull for me. It flouts the law designed to protect the rights of children with SEND.

you spend DLA as you see fit and nobody audits how you spend it. Your response is just bollocks.

I have never had to sign something and send it back (ds been getting DLA for about 10 years now)

I have filled in the form, had a letter to say I am the nominated person and then the decision and that’s it other than letters about Christmas bonus (ha!) and new years rates.

My son had a much easier time moving to PIP when he turned 16 because he's been in receipt of DLA since he was 5. Thinking about your daughter's future, you won't be around forever. Have you got sufficient savings and a plan in place for her care when she's an adult, or will she need to claim state benefits to get by? You can't possibly know the future, but this claim could help her down the line.

Does that rather arbitrary explanation of the "benefits system" mean you will be refusing your old age pension?

Dla isn’t means tested. David Cameron claimed it for his disabled son so I don’t see why you shouldn’t.

Do you claim DLA? I have done for the last ten years for my child, including a renewal last year. You get a separate agreement you sign and send back as the administrator of the child’s benefit outlining your responsibilities, which include parts on what it should be spent on. If you’re actually claim you should probably remember that bit.

As others have said, the money is for her needs. If she gets it then spend it on her and save the equivalent yourselves. I wouldn’t save it in her name though as it can impact her ability to claim as an adult.

Also, the health visitor told me it is easier to evidence a claim as an adult if you’ve had dla as a child, and as you don’t know what needs she will have as an adult it’s best to apply as a child anyway.

DLA is for disability related costs and she'll have these regardless of your income. Our household income is similar and we have claimed DLA for DS since he was 3, and also always claimed entry to activities as a free carer, short breaks payments, EHCP and special school placement and any other non-means tested support available. The DLA has been useful as proof of disability for things like fast queuing passes and eligibility for disability schemes - as a child and later as a student. DS gets PIP now as an adult and we've never been audited.

I do think people might judge so it's something we keep private, but we're generally very private about our finances anyway.

I don't think a few hundred quid in a savings account is going to do much. Why don't you use your earnings to make some investments that will actually be feasible for supporting her in later years.

No, they don’t. I used to work for them, and now do voluntary work. They never check what DLA/PIP is used for.

Councils may check what any Direct Payments (a different thing) are being used for though.

Please do show me that guidance.

They can do that then. Keep a spreadsheet

That's not true.

Please do show me in any of the guidance or terms and conditions where it says you are required to keep proof of spending.

Well, David Cameron, millionaire, applied and got it for his disabled son. Rightfully. It’s not based on income or savings,

As I said above, when you apply you agree to use it on specific stuff and they can and do audit people

Our income is about half yours and I dithered for 9 years about applying for DS1 because of thinking we were being 'greedy'. But the truth is DLA does not even touch the sides of the extras we have to spend because of DSs's disability. He has counselling. He has medication which for a few years needed to be bought outisde the NHS costing £134 a month. He has a couple of physical therapy sessions a month. He has 1-1 support at school which we pay extra for. (He is in a mainstream but private school) i recently spent over £300 on specialised clothes because he has sensory issues. I have to drive him to school because he cannot take public transport and this costs us roughly £48 a week in petrol.

I put his DLA into a special account and spend it only on the extra costs. Doing that has brought it home just how much having a disabled child costs that others would never see. We get middle rate care and lower rate mobility and I have usually run out by week 2-3.

But there are other benefits, particularly if your child is likely to need care and support for the rest of her life. We have set up a disabled trust (and the requirements for this are based on the level of DLA received) and this will hopefully mean that DS is protected in the future.

DLA is not means tested. I bet you pay a shedload of tax that means the few hundred pounds you might get in DLA is a drop in the ocean. For us it took the pressure off. Yes I CAN put DS into a specialised autism holiday club for 2 days next week. Which this time last year I had no hope of stretching to.

I personally wouldn't claim it on that income, I'm on much lower and haven't applied as I don't need it.
I'd be careful with saving for her future too dependant on her needs. I think savings over 16,000 make someone a full cost payer with adult social care and would take away entitlement to UC. If her needs are such that she won't be able to work when she is an adult and needs a high level of support the savings would be gone in no time just paying for her accommodation and support.