Boring question for the experts: should DLA diminish our adoption allowance?

[Moominmammaatsea]

Grrrr! If only I had the brain cells left (single adoptive parent to two complex needs children) to re-register in the super-secret-squirrel club that is now AdoptionUK (seriously, it's mega-hard to get on now), I know I would get the answer to this question in a nanosecond. I'm counting on the fact that there's some generous overlap between here & there & that some kind soul who's managed the secret AUK handshake to navigate their way over there may take pity on me & ask for help on my behalf!

Basically, I need to know if a claim for an adoption allowance (10 years post-placement, due to an unexpected and significant health issue (related directly to the child's in-utero experience) should be diminished by the said child's receipt of DLA?

Happy to provide additional information by PM.

@Allington Oh hello to you . Yes I remember your username. I felt like there were lots of old friends on there as even though I never met people in RL you knew so much about each other's families and experiences.
Alas it seems to be no more ! X

I used to post on AUK as Kanga2 but gave up years ago when they 'improved' the boards and went to gigantic blue bubbles. Though every cloud has a silver lining because I then went on to find MN.
I often wonder how Shadow is getting on.
@Allington I remember your name, but no details.

Sorry OP, can't help. But it would seem to me that if you got an adoption allowance based on the difficulties of your DD then if they have now worsened so you get DLA as well then your deserve both in full.

@underthenameofsanders shadow and shadette are both doing well. Shadette started an access course at college a few weeks ago and as far as I know is enjoying it. They had a turbulent time as you know but are very much a family

Ted Oh, I am so pleased to hear that.

@Allington Yes, there's been another spectacularly-disastrous 'update' to the forums. When will they ever learn?! I do feel very kindly towards AUK and think they epitomise the triumph-of-hope-over-experience that helps us all keep our families intact, in whatever shape or form, regardless of the intensity of the pressures we endure. I sincerely hope that the AUK forums survive as a lifeline to adopters, new and old. But, please God, simplify the access codes because the vast majority of us are so worn out from the day/night job that we don't have the mental capacity to be Bletchley Park-standard code breakers!

So nice to 'meet' so many AUK emigres on here. I'll throw my hat into the ring and self-identify as Libertas.

I think most of you know who I am !

No definitely not. DLA is not yours it belongs to the child whereas the adoption allowance would be for you.

@Ted27 Yup, worked it out aeons ago...but the adopter code runs deep. No way I'd ever breach that trust 😁

Yes, we're a ready made network of secret agents in case of alien/triffid invasion...

My son's DLA is not treated as income in calculating adoption allowance. Like others how they work out the payments remains something of a mystery. They do ask about DLA but I think if you are getting that it is beneficial in terms of AA in my LA. My LA also writes every year or 2 to advise as per 'our agreement' AA is ending. No time limit was ever agreed. So I have appealled (successfully) about 4 times now.

I do find it odd they count it as income @Moominmammaatsea . I claim PIP and it's disregarded everywhere else. (Apart from council grants ) I am sorry your having such a battle with it.

As for forums I can see why they have secured it but, it's insane they have shut out the "oldies". (No way implying any of your old. )

When I do my tax return as a foster carer I use a specialist tax service ( because I have no clue about any of that stuff) and they do not include dla as income so that is the official position . I would argue it from that point of view and get a good tax adviser to confirm that.

DLA is not counted as taxable income and neither is my adoption allowance. I don't think there is any lack of clarity in that.
I think where there is huge lack of clarity is how LAs use the financial information we give them.
As I said up thread, I know that if my LA stopped asking for that info, my AA isn't going to go up.
what moon really needs is their formula and scale of payments so she can try and work our just what the impact of the DLA is, because it could actually be marginal

There should be a guide to how the adoption allowance is made up. Ours is a point system, child benefit is taken into account but not Dla.

Hi. Has anyone be able to get the adoption allowance reinstated?
I adopted my foster child with FASD,aged 4 been with me since birth. ( very hard to place with a forever family) I was awarded a support Allowance for 2 years. This came to an end in Dec 2019.. I am her full time carer no longer work as a foster carer had done for 15 years previously. Do receive middle rate DLA for care.. I have asked what the LA formula is for working out adoption allowance no response yet. I am not happy at all that it’s been stopped, as I replied on it so much. This past 3 months of not having it has been a nightmare... xx

@bkol I am sorry you find you in this situation. 💐 Being on mid rate DLA are you getting carers allowance?
I have a 9yo, FASD diagnosis and have had to give up work due to his care needs. We have been home educating. We get DLA mid care, low mobility. I get carers allowance (not exactly a princely sum 😖).
My husband works full time.
I get the impression LA's are whipping away allowances all over the country. It doesn't make it right though. I suggest doing a breakdown of your finances and evidencing the impact this is having on your family and submitting a complaint/ possibly getting some legal advice.
Hopefully someone else will be along with more advice. Take care. 😊

No advice on the adoption allowance, sorry, but why oh why do these charities keep fucking about with their message boards? The Bliss forums (for parents of premature babies) used to be a total lifesaver, such a wealth of experience and support. Then they 'rationalised' them and finally merged them with netmums . Essentially they destroyed a whole community of support that exists nowhere else. Way to go, you charities whose primary function is supposed to be parent support!

Hi. I am a single carer so only receive benefits now. As haven’t worked for 2 years. I do receive carers. But this amount just isn’t enough to live on at all. Iv always worked as a foster carer with a part time training job. No chance of even thinking of going into paid work yet. As I am forever in the school or she’s poorly as has a very low immune system with breathing problems takes a lot of medications.. my battle has started with the LA as of this morning... there has to be someone that’s successfully won??

Did they say they would review it after 2 years or that it would just cease?
I'm not being trying to be unhelpfully pedantic but speaking as a beaureacrat I would say if it was an agreement for two years, it's a new application you need rather than a reinstatement because they haven't taken away anything they committed to.
Speaking as an adopter, I would say you need to write to them saying you haven't been able to return to work , set out clearly why eg typical number of appointments a week, medical situation- how that requires support and how that stops you working, what the long term prognosis is. It might not hurt to say that without an allowance you will be forced to return to work and this will have a detrimental effect on the child
and say why. Ideally you want to get them to commit to an allowance until she leaves full time education, so 18 or 21. Can you reuse your DLA application?
Go back to any original support plans you had or written policies they have about post adoption support and see if you can demonstrate how AA meets their stated policies around support.