What do people actually expect DLA to be spent on??

[Whoknowshey]

This comes off a thread I read recently where a poster was being criticised for spending DLA on a fridge .

Im curious as to what people think DLA / PIP should be spent on ? Due to various circumstances I am aware of what people spend it on and I also have a child in receipt PIP so I know how theirs gets spent . Some differs to how my child’s is spent. Some I agree with , some I don’t but the fact is it’s for the individuals needs and that varies massively. Especially with non physical disabilities it would be hard to spend it on things directly related to their needs but there are many ways in which it affects their lives that it can help with .

Some I have came across;

• theme park passes- the child cannot do what others can , going out with friends etc . The passes give the opportunity to enjoy childhood safely.
• Toys/ things for hyperfocuses - a hyper focus is a form of regulation . To some it may look like an obsession with a character but it’s actually a way for the individual to regulate.
• Towards the family income because parents cannot work.
• Furniture - lots can get destroyed due to the individuals issues.
• Save it towards the child’s future . The child may not ever be able to get a job and adult social care is appalling .

I think all those things are justified . But I have seen comments against that.

My child has PIP as a young adult. They have a part of the money as theirs to do with what they wish ( which can be wasted hence why they do not have it all and I am their appointee - but also they have no way of having extra money as cannot work nor claim any benefits , have to stay in education to hold on to that EHCP and to help with their life skills etc ) A part goes into the house because I care for them financially as though they are a child - yet usually parents do not have to do this with an adult child. They know exactly what they are paying for with this - rent, shopping etc, social groups. It doesn’t really touch what I spend on them as the majority actually goes on a mobility car , because they have to be taken to most places . This way they are paying bills etc as they see it - an itemised of what they pay - because I know if they go in to supported living it will be eaten up by that and I don’t want them to get used to just having all that money, I think the way I do it is justified as it is for their needs ( food aversions so more expensive shop , get through clothes very quickly due to sensory issues , hyper focuses , social groups specific to their needs ) .

A bit fed up of seeing people attacked because someone doesn’t deem what they spend as “ for their needs “ yet those needs are so vast .

Interested on thoughts.

There are no plans to reform either child DLA or Attendance Allowance for those over retirement age. The only benefit being looked at is PIP, because it’s a working age benefit and the eligibility criteria are different. But any plans to reform it probably won’t be seen in the lifetime of this parliament because change takes public consultation, green and white papers and then gets batted backwards and forwards between the lords and the commons for amendments before legislation can be passed to enact it. Any changes which come into effect as an result are only likely to affect new claimants - the existing ones would stay the same until the award was reviewed. Some people just like drama.

“Many mothers of disabled children do manage to work FT”

3% of mothers of disabled kids worked FT in 2015, according to the Council for Disabled Children. I can’t imagine that the figure will have gone up much since then. Compared to 60% of mothers of non-disabled children. I suppose in absolute terms 3% is many, but it’s not that many.

If you didn’t see their application form or were present at the assessment then you’ve no idea on what grounds they made a claim. You only think you know and you have no idea what it’s like to care for the child 24/7. People disclose to official benefit assessors many things that they don’t tell acquaintances. Until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes you’ll never know

Everyone knows of people who take the piss. Don't be so nieve to think it doesn't happen.

This. Disability benefits were designed to make the lives of disabled people and their families easier. It’s shocking how many posters here take the opposite view and seem to want to make them as difficult as possible. Woe betide anyone who dares to take their child to a theme park when they should all be sitting quietly in a corner waiting to die, so as not to cost the taxpayer any more than necessary. If these posters really think that parents spend every penny of child benefit on their children they’re deluded, but oddly no-one seems to be advocating for the same level of scrutiny for that as for disability benefits.

In October 2010, mental health was recognised as a disability for DWP purposes under the equality act 2010.

A huge number of claimants now cite mental health issues as either the predominant reason they claim, or a significant reason, significant enough to mention on their application for disability benefits.

I understand children being in receipt of disability benefits for mental health reasons when they cannot attend mainstream school full time, and this has been corroborated by professionals rather than parents choosing to remove their children from school.

Quite often, mainstream schools cannot meet the need of the child and therefore the child cannot attend mainstream school full time, and places at special needs schools are woefully inadequate. Many children are waiting years for a place at a specialist provision.
In these cases, parents are spending so much time looking after their children that there is no time to work. They have to be available 24/7 for their children.

If a parent has to be available 24/7 to take care of their child, in the absence of any other available option, then of course they should be supported to do so.

I have come across children for whom there is no provision, no childcare provider can meet need, no friends or family members can meet need and it is incredibly isolating for the child as well as the parents.
Those parents and children need support from society rather than harsh judgement.

I have also come across children who attend a mainstream school full time, have a circle of friends, play unsupervised outdoors when home for hours and yet are still eligible for disability benefits.

How does this happen?

Surely if your child is disabled enough to need disability benefits, doesnt it stand to reason that they are also disabled enough to need supervision 24/7?

Or are the parents of the children who dont need a high level of supervision somehow embellishing their claims?🤔

The bottom line is that many more children and adults are claiming for mental health related issues or neurodiversity related issues and the cost to the public purse is unsustainable.

Until we as a society reach a point where we simply cannot afford it anymore and the decision is taken out of individuals hands by the DWP changing the rules, and at that point, many people who desperately need the help will be denied help, until then, people will continue to claim disability benefits, sometimes simply because they can, not necessarily because they need to.

I feel for all of the disabled people who cannot function in every day life without the extra financial support, because when the day comes that the rules tighten to stem the ever-growing tide of claimants, there will be many severely affected people who will fall foul of the new rules and lose out as a result.

No, everyone knows someone who they think takes the piss, because that’s what they’ve decided. The mindset is that that if you’re not in a wheelchair or hobbling round on crutches, you’re not disabled. No-one here is naive. We know benefit fraud happens but in the disability benefits system it’s very low - not that you’d think so from reading this thread. And more to the point, the fraud that does take place is not the fault of the genuinely disabled.

We all have SEN kids so nobody would report anyone. And if someone would be struggling financially I wouldn't hold it against them. As for the mum who uses the dla for therapy I think it's justified. Yes, they do give each other tips as of what to say to get awarded dla.

I don't know anyone who loudly proclaims to all, and sundry down the pub, or anywhere else, that they are claiming benefits, by deception. So what you say is not strictly true. Any persons that I know who are in receipt of anything, are quite clearly disabled, and affected very much so, by their disability.

Not all disability means that 24/7 supervision is needed. And benefit is paid at several different levels depending on need, so it doesn’t always follow that significant levels of disability require that level of supervision in order to qualify for benefit. Disability is complex and varied and not one size fits all. No two people will be affected by the same disability in the same way - it doesn’t mean that the claims are being embellished.

This is part of the problem, when there is so much information available on what to say and how to word an application to stand the best chance of a successful outcome.
Surely simply explaining how your condition affects you should suffice?
Rather than using particular phrases or getting tips?

You don't get DLA simply based on 'what you say on the form'. It has to be evidenced by healthcare providers or other professionals.

Are you saying that professionals and healthcare providers are complicit in this fraud?

And there’s nothing wrong with advising how to make the best claim you can, but that doesn’t guarantee an award. The DWP gives similar tips too - they have advisory leaflets and a FB page.

If you don't want to think it's happening then that's you. But people do and have fraudulenty claimed. Who could easily work who do not.
Imagine if everyone decided they didn't want to work because of x,y,z... Who would pay these benefits then??

Theme park passes!? This makes sense as to how those larger families with disabled children always seem to be at all the events. The tickets would be too expensive without handouts

I was referring more to mental health disabilities rather than physical disabilities.
I know of not one person disabled enough to claim disability benefits for mental health reasons who wouldnt struggle immensely if left to their own devices.

I'm doing the dla/pip assessments for 2 of my dc at the moment. It's been brutal and one of my dc had to go to an appointment that left him trembling in fear during and afterwards. Most of the DLA seems to go on putting fuel in the ridiculously huge car we have to drive, clothes because they get holes in them daily, washing stuff, electricity to dry the endless washing etc. We have also had to take our dc out places for far longer than average. It's more expensive to take older ones out too. I can take my 11 year old to softplay for £10 plus drinks but the 14 year old isn't allowed in so for a similar activity it's more than £15 each to go to a trampoline park.

I'd much rather have a job and have my children without disabilities.

A lot of parents save up PIP etc for their child with disabilities so they have money when they get older. Just a word of warning - when they get to 16 and are entitled to Universal Credit, they are not allowed to have more than £6000 in savings. A lot of people I know have fallen foul of this. Save it in your own name or spend it, but be careful with how much they have in their own names.

It's difficult, because parents worry for the future or their children needing money if they can't work. But when they get to 16, they are entitled to PIP in their own names, and to apply for UC. If so disabled they can't work, they can be moved into the support group and get slightly more UC which will be permanent.

In my experience social care have been excellent with benefits advice, and have ensured that my child was able to move into appropriate residential/supported living. At which point they are also able to access their own funding for rent, support, activities etc. It is possible now for them to have fulfilling lives where they are well cared for as adults. All the people my child grew up with are now in good situations, it really isn't as bad as people fear.

Disability benefits have nothing whatsoever to do with the ability to work. They are not out of work benefits. And of course people claim fraudulently - no benefit system has ever been immune to this. But it’s not as widespread as people think, and neither is it the fault of the genuinely disabled people who are the ones who will inevitably pay the price when fraud is made the excuse for denying them the benefits they rely on.

I know quite a few people who claim disability benefits who could easily work who do not.
X that by thousands of people.... It's not sustainable.

Imagine if everyone was off work for x,y,z... Who would pay for it then?

Next November there will be no such thing as the support group on UC. It’s being phased out and basically everyone will be expected to look for work if they are assessed as being capable. They will no longer be parked permanently on benefit either - reassessments will regular except for a very few claimants with the most severe disabilities but this group will be much smaller than the current support group.

And I’m glad things worked out for you and your child, but I would caution against giving people the idea that this happens in every case because it doesn’t. Support is patchy and thin on the ground in a lot of areas and parents are left to struggle because there simply aren’t enough resources to go around, especially in the area of spectrum disabilities where placements in residential and supported living are very problematic due to behavioural problems.

DLA is to compensate you for costs incurred as a result of the disability over and above normal costs. So if a disabled child smashed furniture during a meltdown directly stemming from their autism, then yes DLA should cover the cost of that sort of wear and tear. Agree with a pp who said that those without a disabled child just don’t get it. I estimate my salary loss (unable to work full time or take promotions due to endless appointments, childcare, remote working affecting my career progression and choice of job) is worth several years of my current salary. I find it really frustrating when parents of non-disabled kids claim that it’s just as hard for them. Nobody said it was easy for any parent, but the systems and protections in place to support parents don’t cover the additional needs of parents of disabled children. Hence DLA.

Once more for those at the back and hard of understanding. Disability benefits are nothing whatsoever to do with the ability to work. Many people who claim them are in work. Many parents who claim them for their children are working. They are meant to contribute to the extra cost of living with a disability, they are not out of work benefits. And unless you live with someone 24/7, have the medical knowledge to understand their disability and it’s effects, are privy to the details of their benefit claim and the reason benefit was awarded, you’re not really in a position to judge them are you ?

Don't get me wrong and l think DLA spent on Motabilty is essential in everyday living.

However the Motabilty scheme needs to be sorted out big time.

It is being abused something rotten and the vehicles should be restricted to ordinary balloons and vans.

it is wrong that people who do have the money can add thousands of pounds to the cost to get a high end luxury car.

DLA and PIP should also be means tested

We both work and claim DLA for our two children who have a learning disability not a physical disability. Our more ‘hidden’ costs include:
-lower earnings as both have to limit hours due to
-no wraparound care or cheaper holiday clubs available, only one accessible is £110 a day per child
-additional nappies for 10 year old
-additional clothes which get ruined
-broken household items