DC turning 16 - own benefits and savings?

[chowmeinz]

At the moment DC gets child disability at the high rate for care and low for mobility. She is turning 16 soon and I have a letter from social security about her claiming benefits herself. She has around £11k in savings though, is it worth applying for UC or should I just leave it? I don’t really know much about the system, other than the disability side, so don’t know how it’s works but I understand you have a reduction in benefits if you have over £6k and nothing over £16k. If she were to be awarded UC though it would only be a matter of time before her money went over the £16k and the claim would have to end anyway. I’m really wondering if I’m missing something, even non financial, that would mean a claim would be a good idea.

If England I assume they mean changing from DLA to PIP, not UC, as that’s generally for adults

I assumed what they meant was - either DD can handle her benefits herself over 16; or if the DWP agrees she doesn’t have capacity, OP can be made her appointee?

ITA, they could have written to say DD is migrating from DLA to PIP; but I don’t think so, unless OP has missed out information?

If DD were on say ESA, then they might write about migrating from that to UC?

It'll be for PIP. She's getting too old for DLA. I can't see her getting UC in her own right anyway unless in certain circumstances.

OP uses child disability and social security so is probably in Scotland.

Child Disability Payment can be paid until 18, unlike DLA which swaps (ETA: I don’t mean ‘just’ swaps automatically, you actually have to apply. I mean swaps as in what benefit can be claimed.) to PIP at 16. Although someone can decide to claim Adult Disability Payment instead if they want.

However, Social Security Scotland writes to ask if the young person can manage the claim themselves from 16. If they can, the benefit will be paid to them. If they can’t, someone will be appointed to manage the claim on their behalf.

Some 16 year olds (or their appointee) can claim UC. The rules are quite complex. Some disabled 16 year olds who are in education can’t claim straight away at 16 because LCW/LCWRA needs to be established prior to the start of the course. In this case, it can be helpful to make a credits only New Style ESA claim in order to establish LCW/LCWRA for when their course ends. See more on Contact’s website here. With UC, DD’s savings will mean some will be deducted.

Under 18s can only get UC if they have no parental support. Is she still a school? If so, you will still be entitled to claim UC and Child Benefit on her behalf, depending on income. You can also get yourself set up as her appointee for her PIP if she is unable to handle the money herself, you can then administer it yourself.

Personally I think it is ridiculous that benefits for a child go to the parent until they are 18/19 and have left school unless they're disabled, then they're expected to deal with their own disability related income and expenditures.

Some disabled under 18s can claim UC even if they still live at home with their parents.

Although if the young person is currently on their parents’ UC claim, they would stop being on that if they or their appointee made a claim in their own right.

No, in Scotland and it is to do with being able to benefits in her own right. Nothing to do with the disability benefit.

No, it’s nothing to do with the disability benefit.

Its nothing to do with migration of disability benefits. Its also not the DWP it’s social security as mentioned in the OP. It is concerning being an appointee but I was just curious as to whether or not there would be any point claiming UC when the time comes as she has quite an amount of savings.

Thanks, I don’t claim UC at all

She hasn’t been to school for around 5 years now. I don’t claim UC which is why I wasn’t sure what the options were when you also have savings. I do get child benefit for her, I guess I jumped the gun asking about UC

Thank you. Yes this is a much better explanation of the current circs. I see now though I have got far ahead with the UC question and by the time it’s relevant she will almost certainly have more than the £16k allowance anyway.

sorry for confusion

It is related to the CDP. In that, Social Security Scotland is only writing because DD is in receipt of CDP. If DD wasn’t receiving any benefits there would be no need to ask if she can manage the claim herself or if she needs an appointee.

Is DD in full-time education even if that isn’t at a school?

She is home educated. I realise I was wrong re UC it’s not anything we need to think about yet.

If DD is in full-time education, including via elective home education, she/her appointee can establish LCW/LCWRA via a credits New Style ESA claim. Then, when her current course (which doesn’t have to be a formal course or lead to formal accreditation. It can be life skills, etc.), she/her appointee can claim UC because, when she starts the next course, LCW/LCWRA will have already been established prior to the start of the course.

Even if DD/you have no intention of claiming UC, you can still make a credits only New Style ESA claim in order to protect DD’s national insurance record.

I don't think OP's daughter would not be entitled to New Style ESA, don't you have to have paid NI contributions for 2 out of the past 3 years?

That is why I said a credits only claim. A credits only claim is possible. See Contact’s link I posted.

A credits only claim does not result in monies paid. It enables someone to establish LCW/LCWRA in preparation for a later UC claim. It also enables someone to protect their NI record even if they don’t go on to claim UC.

Does your daughter have mental capacity? Can she make her own decisions?

Sorry but I wasn’t asking if I should be her appointee or not. I don’t need advice on that. I was mistaken about UC/other benefits being relevant just now.

Thank you I will look into this. I do think she will be over the saving limit by the time she could claim UC though.

No-one here can tell you if DD will be over the saving limit or not. That will depend on DD’s situation.

It’s actually quite complicated so when my dd was 16 I didn’t pursue the uc/esa claim because she had circa £12k in savings and in all honesty we didn’t need the money and wouldn’t have got a penny on a family uc claim. In theory up to £16k you can claim and get something but was pretty tricky in my DD’s case to work it out as mental health/asd rather than more clear cut disability. Best wishes whatever you decide, not easy being a parent of dc with extra needs

Oh I know she will be by the time she is 18. I got mixed up and thought it was 16 for the UC situation so I was asking if it was worth doing it when she would be over it eventually. I wondered if it brought any non financial benefits I may have missed. Thank you for your help though it’s actually been very useful

Some 16 year olds can apply for UC from 16. Even if DD can’t because she is in full-time education and hasn’t already established LCW/LCWRA, it doesn’t mean she won’t be able to claim at some point before 18. She might be able to. You also don’t know what the future holds. There might be a significant expense.

And even if you don’t plan to claim UC, a credits only New Style ESA claim can protect DD’s NI record.

That’s great help I am definitely going to check out the credit only ESA thing. I do wonder if I need to go to an agency to get some help as I’m definitely out of my depth with benefits!