Spending DSs DLA

[Dlabaddie]

So Not a TAAT but something that often comes up in threads and has currently.

The discussion on what you're allowed to spend DLA on.

We've always put a proportion in one pot for him and anything specific he needs, and the rest in the household pot which covers household bills Inc those which are affected by his disability. We've done this on the basis of me having to quit work to care for him and carers being such a generous amount. DP works but wage isn't great.

But should I be recording where every penny goes and justifying it so extra clothes say due to vomiting with receipts but also proof I buy most of his clothes from our money? £5 towards electricity as bedding washed extra die to vomiting? Lots of people on the thread saying it can basically be checked at any point how it's spent but how do I make sure I keep proper info?

You don't have to keep receipts or a tally of where the money is going you are spending on and for him. I've had variations of DLA for years and nobody has checked.

I receive DLA for my daughter. No one has ever said it might be 'checked'. I've never even heard of the concept.
It just gets added into our family pot of money.

Nope. You can spend it all on gin to help you cope if you wanted to. Probably not a great plan though.

Are people really saying that about DLA ? I mean how are you supposed to work out extra electricity or extra clothes its ridiculous disabled children and adults have enough to worry about jeez

Well a quote...

We all get the letter and it states that isn’t your money or your partners, you are basically there to receive it in your bank and allocate it to your sons needs. The dla could come back to you at anytime and ask where that money has gone. It states in the letter that it is there claim not yours and they can come back and look at that claim at any time.

Just beginning to think I'm going crazy cos I didn't think they did this.

Dla is the child's money. Neither yours or his and especially not for his bills. Yanbu. If you did do that and dwp found out it'd be classed as fraud.
And another. But I see it often whenever DLA is mentioned

Good lord !
I mean he will be reassessed obviously but that doesn't mean they want to know where the money has gone

I think that was a specific case where the person in question was an adult and was being left with absolutely no money of their own.

What a load of rubbish !

Spending it on the household which is affected by the disability is fine. I commented on the other thread as it was being used for family days out etc. In those circumstances where (if it’s the same post it wasn’t the disability preventing it work at this time), I suggested saving it as further down the line a larger amount may be needed for something disability related. From experience disabilities tend to cost more money as the child gets older and requires more care/services/equipment that a build up of saved funds would help

Well yes there is that stealing an adult/child's benefit is exploitation.

No it's def re a child and Dad wanting to use it on bills and Mom keeping it. Which isn't the point because the fraud etc comments are general not specific. And the Dad I'm that case is wrong as he's just trying to save up his own wages but it's the general point

i've been claiming DLA for my son for 9 years, its always gone into the general household pot as it pays for the extra food, fuel, power..etc it takes to keep him going with all his equipment/electronics, trips to drs, school (its a specialist setting), and clothes/shoes he goes through like water down a spout.

You don't have to itemise it at all.

Maybe you are confusing DLA with direct payments?

DLA is to offset the cost of having a disability, these are multiple and for most far more than the actual costs involved.

eg swimming lessons and unlimited swimming for bog standard child here £20 a month, for child requiring 1:1 £88 a month no unlimited swimming.

dla goes into the family pot direct payments need to be closely accounted for.

Who ever has told you that OP is talking out of their arse. people do come out with some absolute shite on here.

Never heard of the dla police. My closest friend, single mum put it into the family pot.Used towards any extras needed and day to day living. When dc became and adult, dla went to her for his keep, he has ESA for his other costs.
Its a luxury in my mind to be able to hive it off and account for every penny. My dsis was in that fortunate position and saved my nephews dla. It's now there as a lump sum for any expenses he has as an adult.

I can’t work due to my sons disabilities. Carers allowance isn’t anywhere near enough to live on! Dla goes into the general pot.

Both my DC’s get DLA/PIP, the money go towards anything they may need, travel costs/fuel and household bills because I stay at home and care for them (single parent so no choice, no child care). I have never kept any proof of what I spend it on.

Maybe you are confusing DLA with direct payments?

Yes I wondered this too. My DM had Direct payments and it can only be used to fund the assessed need. For her it was help with washing, dressing and medication. She employed an agency to provide the care and had to submit accounts quarterly to show she was using it to pay a care agency.

DLA can be spent on a wide range of things to benefit the recipient like petrol for car, heating, new washing machine etc and you never have to submit accounts

I agree this is likely a confusion between DLA and direct payments. There is no need to account for how DLA is spent.

👋😁
If they ever did ask, surely just saying its gone towards higher electricity bills/clothes/wallpaper/whatever would be an acceptable answer? But no, people were chatting rubbish on my thread saying they can and do check.

There is no requirement to keep receipts (it's literally not mentioned anywhere) and no one will check. It just doesn't happen.

They barely have the manpower to process applications, never mind do further snooping.

Even as a Foster carer all the DLA goes into the family pot - although £40 of it does go in to savings.

Maybe you are confusing DLA with direct payments?

I'm not confusing them, no, because I'm not the one posting on a thread clearly about DLA telling people it's fraud to spend it on general stuff and that if it isn't accounted for the week be trouble. Possibly those posters are confused though, thanks

DLA is to benefit the child. One of the examples where the dad wanted DLA for bills - the mum stated he already had more than enough money to cover bills plus substantial spending money. There was no need for the dla to be used to cover bills - this was the point people were making.