Means testing ?

[Wendysfriend]

Does anyone know if a child who is earning but living at home is included in a means test for the parents ? Or is the test just done on the parents income ?

If the child is over 16 they may be, it depends on what you are applying for, what means test is it ?

If UC is involved, then a non-dependent deduction will be made. Worth checking on a benefit's calculator https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/

Thanks for the replies , I was looking online but I really have no clue about these.

It's one of my sister's , she gets disability benefit , there's some shit going on and they are saying to her that she owes them money and they're cutting her benefit. It's because her son lives at home , he's in his 30s, works full time, moved back 1 year ago due to his relationship ending and he's living there until he can get back on track with deposit for rent and I think he needs 3 months upfront plus a large debt he's paying off from his ex.

They said she should have declared him living back home and bringing in an income, my sister doesn't take any money from him, but of course she can't prove this .

I was thinking that children who work wouldn't affect her means test but maybe I'm wrong.

I believe the DWP assumes housing costs are being contributed to by a non dependent regardless of if they're actually contributing. Mainly I assume because it's reasonable to expect that someone would be, and it's not up to UC to pick up that slack. There are exemptions (or were) based on age, disability etc. My knowledge may be out of date though so I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will come along soon.

My sister has been in a wheelchair for about 20 years , she also has a neurological condition , she's been receiving disability benefit for quite a while . So because her ds is living there temporarily they can include his earnings in her means test ?

Is your sister in Ireland - as it may differ. In Ireland yes income from an adult relative will impact on her payment.

She needs to engage with them and sort out a payment play etc. The assumption on the Social protection would be he is an adult earning a wage - contribution to the household expenses would reasonable.

Yes, we're both in Ireland .

I'll have a chat with her again and explain that they're right and she'll either have to put him out or take the cut and try arrange a payment plan for the last year. Probably would have been better if he wasn't working .he probably would have been classed as a dependant.

Does her Neurological condition have a charity?

Eg if she has MS, she could call the MS Ireland helpline for advice. They might be able to give her some info about her entitlements.

Or the Neurological Alliance of Ireland might be able to point her in the right direction (they are the umbrella group for all the Neurological charities/groups)

He wouldn't be classified as dependent at 30. If she engages they generally are lenient on timelines. Citizens advice are very helpful.

Is this Ireland specific advice @caerdydd12 ? As I don't recognise what DWP is.

@Wendysfriend PP's advice to contact Citizen's Information is good, I've always found them helpful.
www.citizensinformation.ie/en/

I would imagine she owes them in those circumstances tbh. DSP are actually quite helpful re overpayments, i had one myself from illness benefit (no idea how, bc you have to submit certs but that's by the by). They are letting me repay 5 quid a week so fair enough really.

If he's in his 30s and is working full time he should be paying her some kind of money in Lieu of what she's now losing op

He could at least make the payments of a plan set up to pay it back and then give her the equivalent each month.

It's not fair your sister is losing out here.

I didn’t think the income of an adult child was included in the means test for Disability Allowance.
It can impact a Living Alone Allowance, Household Benefits package or fuel allowance if she gets any of these.

She should go to Citizens Information or MABS to get it sorted.

Thanks everyone , all very helpful advice . I told her what was said here and she's made an appointment for next week with citizen advice as her situation is difficult .

She honestly thought she was doing the honest thing taking her son in temporarily , she had no idea that this would affect her benefit . Her son works in a fast food restaurant so money isn't great but enough to affect her testing. His ex is a gambler and she has run up some serious debts many in his name, there's other things she said she paid but didn't and it's just all distressing for them, so my sister thought she'd help him out by letting him stay there and arrange his own food as he gets most of it at work anyway.

No, that's my fault, I see craicnet and automatically default to NI because that's where I am!

Unless he's severely disabled of course he would not be classified as a dependent at 30. If he's working he should contribute and pay his own way not sponge off his disabled Mum putting her into debt. Your sister needs to ask how much she owes them and arrange a payment plan and her working son needs to contribute to this debt repayment. If he stays living there going forward he also needs to agree to a sensible monthly payment to cover his food, utilities and board e.g. €500.

Prob shouldn't say this but I know when my cousin moved home from abroad he ""lived with his friend"" aka put their address down on everything. His mam was on the pension and would have lost a few bits while he was looking for somewhere else.

But yes citizens advice are great and they don't ask for PPS no/ name so you can ask what ever you want