Not claiming benefits under my roof

[Whatdoyouthink23]

I'm just wondering people's thoughts on this .

So the person is 21 years old . He lives at home. He has complex autism He gets pip. Which his mum is appointee off.

I don't know her income. But I know she has a job and half the rent is paid by housing benefit she pays the other half of it.

As I said he gets pip. But its very hard for him to access the money. As she controls it all. my daughter ends up paying for him when they are out.

When it was mentioned that he wanted ti make a claim for UC . His mum went mad saying he's not claiming UC under her roof and if he did she would kick him out. He just wants to claim so he has some of his own money.

Is she down as his appointee ? If she is an he doesn't want her to be and has the capacity to make decisions himself then he can do. I don't understand why she wouldn't want him to claim UC if he is claiming PIP - they are both benefits.

@Babyroobs do you think it's because PIP isn't means tested so in her mind she doesn't have to think twice about it coming in?

This sounds like financial abuse. She doesn't want him claiming benefits that won't go straight to her, giving him some freedom and choices.

The threat to kick him out is an idle one as "her" money will stop if he leaves. But I would suggest he looks at whether he has options for other accommodation, depending on how vulnerable he is.

I'm not sure maybe she sees pip as a disability payment. But UC as a benefit with stigma but to threaten to kick him out is an extreme.

I forgot until i read your reply. Yes she is his appointee. She had told her son she has stopped claiming pip for him. Si my daughter helped him phone pip checked if there's a claim ( there is) he asked if he could be paid the pip into hus own account they called his mum. She said no. So now they are looking into it abd will make a decision.

He needs to contact social services and get their help. Pip is for him. Not for his mum. He also doesnt need her permission to apply for UC. If he gets a social worker they can arrange to have him helped with that.

Cross post yes he needs a social worker's involvement here. This is potentially financial abuse of a vulnerable adult.

He needs to contact PIP and make them aware his mum is stealing his PIP. That's fraud. They will stop it straight away and make arrangements to pay him.

It sounds like he needs to move out as she's abusing him. Please contact NAS and adult social services.

Sound like financial abuse. He needs to get in touch with social services himself

He does need alot of support. He has no proper concept of money. If he had 300 fir example that would be gone in 2 days. So it might not be an idea if he had full control of it. But he should be getting some sort of reasonable allowance.

He would not cope living on his own ect.

With the adult social services side o think that would really upset and dress him out quite badly . He's also no able ti express himself. Especially when get nervous or scared.

Thing is we don't want the shit to hit the fan for him. As in my first post he just wants to have some money for daily living.

Sorry about typos 🤦‍♀️

So she told him she wasn't claiming the pip anymore, but still is? I wonder if she doesn't want him to claim uc because she is already claiming it on his behalf. He should probably have some allowance, but if he has no concept of money he can't be in charge of receiving it all. A part time job may not be a lot to pay bills for two people (at least?) on especially with prices are going up. Is she keeping the money for herself, or to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table?

Well she's has the money from her job. I think its still classed as low paid but not overly low . If it was overly low then all her rent would be paid for by housing benefit/uc. But yes probably still pm the low side. Plus on top she's getting his pip. Plus his brothers pip. I did wounder if she's claiming uc on his behalf already.

But then why say she's not claiming pip. And (if) she is claiming uc for him why make it out like she's not . Even if it is to put food on the table he still has some rights to money?

Would him claiming UC effect her claim for HB? Presumably the income of everyone in the house is relevant for her claim. Or even she would have to stop her HB claim and move on to UC as you can't make new HB claims in most areas.

I expect she's already claiming and pocketing it on his behalf.

My son was out of work for a short while. After his A levels he's had to claim uc to see him by. And they only reduced my hb by 12.00. It did not force me to do a new claim. Just meant a small reduction. But im also thinking he has a right to claim either way 🤔

My daughter is 18. She claims PIP as she is autistic and has no concept of money too. It comes to me. She also claims UC at £619 a month. It also comes to me. There was no contact with her needed for me to be able to claim and manage her money, at all. Not for PIP or UC. Covid meant it was all phone interviews so nothing face to face; they didn't even need to see her.

She needs reporting tbh. And he needs someone who will support him to claim his entitlement and manage it appropriately.

I suggested that he calls uc . And finds out of there is a claim under his name.

OP, my daughter receives DLA (she is two and has a very complex medical history and significantly delayed development). I receive that money for her into my account.

When she was awarded DLA, the letter to me very clearly stated that I was entrusted with this money to be used appropriately to meet my daughter's needs, that it is for my child and not me and that if I am to misuse it, it could be stopped. This is absolutely fair and just. I take what we spend as extras in terms of my daughter's care needs (for example, a little towards petrol as she has lots of medical appointments that we wouldn't need to attend if she didn't have the difficulties she does). I ALWAYS put what's left in a savings account for her so I know she will benefit from that money when she is older.

What you are describing sounds like the parent is not treating this person's money properly. It is awarded to that individual and it is to help then live a normal as life as possible under their own specific circumstances. If that money is being withheld, then there is right to complain to the DWP to that effect. What is the mother doing with this money? Where is it going?

If this 21 year old wishes to claim UC and is awarded the benefit, that is their right as an adult needing financial assistance. It's entirely between them and the DWP.

I realise that this 21 year old may not be able to manage sums of money independently (especially larger sums) but should be provided with at least enough for them to get by and have a few small comforts too, even if it's only a can of pop and a magazine from the local shop. If they ARE able to manage their own finances (to whatever degree) they can request for the benefits to be paid into their own bank account.

It should be clear to you that she's not going to do what he wants and give him access to his money in a responsible way.

We don't always have the luxury of a stress free option.

Since she does not appear to be managing his money appropriately and he lacks capacity then short term distress may be a less damaging option than long term financial abuse and emotional abuse - which I consider her threatening him with homelessness if he doesn't give up asking for his money to be

Has he had a capacity assessment btw? My youngest (similar age) gets pip and UC and direct payments so I can buy in services for him and his social worker did an assessment. As a result of that I now manage his finances and health care needs.

You can't just do what you want with their money though. If I didn't make decisions in his best interests and used his money for myself there would, rightly, be consequences.

If he is vulnerable and the adult who is supposed to be his advocate is not acting in his best interests then you have a duty to raise concerns.

Whether he can control his money is irrelevant - you can’t keep PIP from someone for that reason! If he spends it all in 2 days, that’s up to him! She is stealing his money. I hope this is investigated properly and something done about it properly, and she is hauled over the coals for it. He is entitled to UC if he is not in education.

It sounds like the whole set up needs reassessing. They would need to do a capacity assessment to assess if he can manage his finances. If he is unable to he can ask for a different appointee. He can request a daily/weekly/monthly budget and put in requests for larger sums (going to cinema or buying new shoes are ones we have to help to request quite often).

I think the mums benefits and both sons need to be looked into.

When he/they (my daughter helped him) call pip he asked if there was a claim and his mum had told him she had closed it. They comfirmed there is a claim under his name. He then told them his mum was not giving him money as she should be. And would like the money paid to him. They said they would have to ask his mum . She said no. Apparently they are looking into it and will give an answer within 28 days.

The thing is she could tell them anything.

Hes not without clothes. And things like that. But he can't buy food if he's out on a day trip. She will top up his oyster so he can travel. But my daughter ends up paying for either his swimming entry or lunch. Sometimes both. He stays at my daughters house around 3 times a week so she's paying for his food at her house as well.

It does. But she's causing a madness with things threatening to kick him out if he claims uc ect . That's very odd thing to do.

Regarding his money. If he had it himself itcwoukd be gone . But yes when my daughter was involved with the conversation (helping him) she digested a daily allowance for him. But extra fir a day trip

If that's the case then it's completely unacceptable on his mum's part. The bottom line is she has been entrusted to manage his finances and is failing to do that. There must absolutely be some investigations into where his money is going and why, and what should be done as a result. Depending on circumstances she could even be facing criminal prosecution. Her son has a legal right to that money since it was awarded to him, and he isn't being given what he wants or needs by the person designated to ensure he has exactly that.

I hope a resolution is reached very soon.

This can be raised with your local authority under ASP legislation. They will have a duty to investigate financial abuse / exploitation.

I agree with others though, money might just be very tight. I work with many people who pool the family benefits in to one pot to cover basic expenditures. There can be an expectation when someone has disabilities and support that they get money several times per week for activities / lunches out etc.. and for many people that is unrealistic and unmanageable. However, budgeting plans can be devised to help with this.

If your concern is that he is legitimately being financially abused you need to report it.