Allowance

[ALurgidBee]

18yo dd will be staying at home for at least the next 12-18 months. She will be 'working' full-time, but as an unpaid volunteer. She has a very small part-time job as well. Dh and I will be supporting her, and need to decide on an allowance for her. She will be paying for her own clothes and entertainment, but we will continue paying for her driving lessons. She will be expected to contribute to the household in practical ways, rather than financial, though she would pay for minor things like getting milk and bread if we run out mid-week and ask her to pick some up on the way home.

What would be a reasonable amount to give her?

(Before anyone tells us to make her stand on her own two feet, dd has additional needs that mean she needs a very gentle transition into independent adulthood, with a lot of support.)

What does her allaowance need to cover?
Phone, clothes, travel to work? More?
Think about what it all costs, including a reasonable estimate for clothes. £200 a month?

Mine gets £69, similar circumstances

I think it would be a good idea to sit down and work out an amount as scientifically as possible - Look at all her potential expenses and give her enough to cover them. I think it's more beneficial to give her a realistic amount that she can budget properly than either giving her too little or too much.

I don't think it's possible for anyone to suggest an amount as we don't know what she has to spend - ie travel or car costs, phone costs etc

Is she entitled to PIP and Universal Credit? If she's no longer in full time education and you're not claiming child age benefits for her, she may be entitled.

It depends on what she’s earning and her outgoings. If she’s managing own clothes and going out and fun stuff what else does she need money for? Most young adults once pay for rent utilities food clothes and fun money don’t have a huge amount left. You don’t want to let her get used to having hundreds extra a month when she’s learning to be independent then have shock of her life when she has to start paying bills and has nothing left.

Yes, that's one of the aspects e need to consider, Akire. We would be doing dd no favours if e we allowed her to get used to an unsustainable lifestyle.

She doubt she'll be eligible for any benefits. She's certainly not eligible for PIP, and she is choosing not to work so it would be unethical to apply for UC.

She will need to be dressed 'smart-casual office'. Most of her Sixth Form clothes are appropriate, but clothes wear out. Once she starts driving, she will be responsible for her own expenses on our car. So clothes, travel, entertainment, but without everything being immediately accessible. I want her to be able to go out with friends, for example, but also to have to consider that if she wants a pair of DMs, for example, she may have to save up.

She earns very little from her part time job. Less than £100/month. She will be 'working' full time on top of this, but as an unpaid volunteer.

Well this all depends on so many factors. If you're covering all food (apart from her grabbing milk etc) and her driving lessons, then I'd probably give her £180 a month or so. That's just a touch over £40 a week and seems about right for an 18 year old.

But really, I'm basing that on my feelings and my financial situation. When my DD was at uni, we paid £400 a month. My DS is 14 and I give him £50 a month.

So it's how long is a piece of string really

How much would she earn if she was, say, working a Saturday plus one or two more shifts in a supermarket? We should probably give her rather less than that, so she has another incentive to apply for a paying job when the time is right.

Have you name changed?

Volunteering full time plus a part time job seems quite a lot for someone who is needing a gentle transition to adulthood.

Is there no other way here?

@Teessider

Have you name changed?

I would not make a good spy

I say 'full time' because it's 5 days a week, but it's an education-related post, so it's not 9-5 all year round. She will have at least a week off every six weeks or so. The organisation she's volunteering with understand her issues and will reduce demand if necessary.