DLA Payments

[6Cactus]

Hi

My son is in full receipt of DLA both components. (Emotional Issues, PTSD and OCD)

I was just wondering am I doing this right? Every month, I allow him to spend the money on whatever he wants. He is 12 years of age (Year 8) and the money is usually spent on Lego, games for his games consoles, art supplies, books etc.

Due to his diagnosis of OCD, the cost of living is very expensive. He will only eat certain foods and the food he likes is pretty expensive, not to mention how much clothing, trainers, underwear, socks and bedding I have to buy for him. To be honest with you, it is really hurts my pocket.

I work, but I’m a single parent, my son has no contact with his father, due to him being the reason why my son has emotional issues and PTSD.

So I don’t get any additional financial support.

Am I doing the right thing by letting him spend his DLA on whatever he wants? AIBU for thinking that slight percentage, perhaps 15-25% should go towards his cost of living?

If you are in receipt of DLA for your child(ren) what do you spend monthly payments on?

Thanks for reading.

690 a month (or most of the money) goes on toys 😳
This is not what disability benefits are for, yes, to benefit the disabled child but surely 690 a month to spend on what he likes is just going to make his future really hard to come to with when he cant buy "nice" things every month

I think you are very naive in allowing him to spend all of this money on Lego etc. It is to cover all additional costs arising from his disability, why are you funding the extras out of your pocket?
Allowing him so much "fun money" isn't teaching him to manage money either.

My sons DLA gets added to the pot and all his needs are met.

I haven’t read the answers but you can spend it on whatever you like. I receive it for my child and they don’t have access to it. It pays for the extra bits they need each month and there is a bit extra left which I give as pocket money to all 3 of mine. (I believe they all need extra treats with what they all put up with due to the one child’s extra needs)

I would definitely be using some of it to pay for some high quality therapy.

Mine receive dla and that wouldn't be the arrangement in our house.

It is used to cover their extra costs. Yes, it goes on goodies like our merlin passes but we manage their money.

I have to admit that there would be no way the entire DLA payment would be given to my son as pocket money.

Some goes in his GoHenry account, most of it goes on things he needs like incontinence products, clothes, specialist shoes, taxis, sensory toys etc. And then the rest goes in the family pot to cover specific foods and the extra we use in water and gas/electric.

Obviously it's up to you how it gets spent, but I personally don't think this is the best use of the money.

"I don’t get any additional financial support."

You receive nearly £700 a month of benefits - Your choice to spend it on lego and computer games.

I also wouldn’t use the DLA as pocket money. It is for the additional costs associated with DS’s disability. You aren’t helping DS by allowing him access to that amount of money.

My DC get pocket money and the DLA goes into the household pot.

Have you checked whether you are eligible for UC? When there is a severely disabled child the maximum people can earn is often higher than many realise.

The money should be used for things like therapy, travelling costs medical appointments, special dietary requirements that you have as a result of illness etc and hobbies that enable them to move forward with their illness. All of your sons conditions are improved by or can be improved, even cured, by well researched therapy and treatment. The sort of therapy etc that the NHS doesn't cover. THAT is what the money is for. Not pocket money

My son is young but I definitely wouldn't give him £272 a month to spend on toys that seems vast to me. I would keep most of it and give pocket money of £10-15 per week.

£690!! No way would I give this.

This has got to be a wind up surely? You GIVE HIM £690 a month to waste? If you kept £190 for his living costs and saved the rest that is £6000 a year. By the time he is 18 that's £36,000

THIRTY SIX THOUSAND POUNDS. A house deposit.

Bonkers. £20 per week is way more than enough as pocket money. dLA is meant to supplement the costs associated with a disability, so spending on his restricted and expensive diet is exactly what it's for.

I have never given any of my son's DLA to him to spend on fun stuff.

I'm not sure I buy this. How does your son meet the eligibility criteria for higher rate mobility DLA?

The higher rate mobility component can be paid to a child from the age of three years. It is for children who are unable, or virtually unable to walk, or where the exertion required to walk would constitute a danger to their life or would be likely to lead to a serious deterioration in their health.

Er, that's bonkers. My child gets higher rate of both and it buys incontinence products, goes towards the huge costs of trying to keep her warm in winter, food for her special diet and on travel to hospital appointments. I save a little each month to go towards her next wheelchair. Spending it on Lego and computer games is unimaginable to me.

I thought this. Higher rate mobility is for unable to walk or virtually unable to walk. Even under SMI rules I don't see how it would be possible. If you have the capacity to do lego and computer games how could you qualify.

My kids dla mostly goes on private assessments, private tutoring ( illiterate) and everything associated with night wetting and general getting filthy rolling around on the floor.

I was also confused by this. Surprised by the higher rate care component too.

My son gets highest rates of both components. He isn't in wheelchair. He can walk, he is unsafe walking. He opens the car door and falls into the carpark. It's for SLD. Very basically legs work, brain not so much.

Unless the OP has left a lot of information out of her post, I don't how this could be true?

Higher rate mobility is for children who cannot walk, can only walk a short distance without severe discomfort, could become very ill if they try to walk or they’re blind or severely sight impaired

This. That is crazy. The money is there for the additional costs of having a disability, which it doesn't cover at the moment because it is given to a child who blows it on stuff

I receive DLA for two of my children, and both payments go into the family pot towards food, clothes, bills, entertainment etc. Giving a child hundreds of pounds a month to spend on whatever they like isn’t going to benefit them in the long run, as it doesn’t teach them the value of money or how to budget for essentials. Surely £10 a week pocket money is more realistic?!

No I do not think it is right for your child to spend £690 a month money on toys, and its quite frankly inflammatory to post this.

However it is wrong for posters to speculate whether your child is given the correct DLA rate without knowing ALL his medical conditions, which is private to him

That's ridiculous. No he shouldn't be using it for pocket money. You should be using it to cover the extra household expenses like his particular foods and extra clothing. I've never given my son any of his DLA because it goes into the household expenses, and in part makes up for some loss of my earnings.

Can you imagine what it would be like for the other children in our family if I did what you did? Oh sorry everyone, but we don't have enough money for (presents, holidays, dinner) because our family only brings in one wage. Oh but your brother gets nearly £700 to spend how he wants. 🙄