Adult Disability Payment - Teenager

[Pootle40]

I am dealing with a really frustrating scenario. My teenage son (16) has dyspraxia so the fine motor skills, memory and timekeeping are affected. He is still in school full time. He knows of many other peers (similar to him) who are receiving Adult Disability Payment. I’ve explained to him that while he has the condition he lives at home with us, has everything he needs and doesn’t have ‘extra costs’ associated with his condition. He thinks we are being blockers. He went ahead and made an application behind our backs. We received three follow up letters requesting further evidence and I put them all in the bin as I morally disagree (of which he is aware). I grew up with a severely disabled single parent who could not work and had two children so I have a very clear view of what I think the purposes of these payments are. My son, I think, sees this as pocket money. I asked him to name one extra cost he incurs because of his dyspraxia and he can’t. He simply thinks he’s entitled to it and no explaining is helping. So frustrated. I don’t think I am being harsh but surely he can’t just claim money because he has a life long disability?!

I’m with you OP. It’s utterly disgusting that people get free pocket money from the state just because. There are people suffering hardship from disabilities and there is less money to go around to them due to people like your son getting it who use it purely for jollies.

You are being an idiot. He’s entitled to this money. As a 16 year old he’s also entitled to do this independently of you.

@Pootle40 The problem is not him- it's the rules about PIP/DLA. Ofcourse he wants extra money when everyone else gets it. I don't think you should feel guilty of helping him out as long as he's honest in his application. So many lie when applying which is frauding.

Can you explain why I am being an idiot when the criteria isn’t being met. It is designed to support ‘extra costs’ per the guidelines published. So how is he entitled if he has no extra costs?

I have said to him that some must be lying or claiming it fraudulently.

Not many have extra costs tbh. And nobody will ask you what the money are being spent on.

Why is he entitled to it? Why should he get my taxpayer money? Why? The money is for expenses due to his disability. He has none. In what way is this not fraud?

That is very depressing @TheBlueKoala. So despite being a decent citizen with no financial worries I can essentially just claim money from others who are hardworking. I don’t what to make about this country / this govt now……

Could the money be used to help him manage his condition better though? Taxis to avoid being late when his time keeping is affected? Replacing items lost due to forgetfulness?
He may not be incurring costs now but he is incurring consequences of his disability. Perhaps the money could go some way to mitigating those effects of his disability and help him cope better?

Thank you @Plugg. I completely agree hence the issue.

You’re really reaching here! It’s fraud. Pure and simple. The SNP know it too but turn a blind eye because these people vote for them to keep the cash flowing.

It would really disgust me if my child did this. I’d chuck them out.

Thank you. He works well with his free bus travel and we drop him at high school very morning because we work from home. We also occasionally drop him places. So yes it may cost us a few quid here or there but we’re earning enough to do that. When he was younger he did lose things but less so now.

He's 16 and entitled to apply on his own behalf. You shouldn't be binning his mail. Why not let him provide the additional evidence? If he doesn't get the benefit, then you can say I told you so.

What happens if you let him apply?

if it’s for extra costs and he has none then he won’t get an award?

just make sure he doesn’t lie on the application.

is his disability likely to cause him issues long term?

What extra costs is he incurring due to his disability?

Funnily enough I don't remember that being asked on the application form.

Why wouldn’t you want to maximise income? If he’s entitled to it he could save and buy a car, it could go towards a house deposit etc.

But he has admitted he has no additional costs so there is no additional evidence. I’d rather teach him to be a morally good citizen.

Seriously? You don’t think that’s wrong?

The only thing I have a problem with is you putting post addressed to someone else in the bin.

So it all comes down to a person’s morals it seems.

Was the mail you binned addressed to you or him? If it was addressed to him, that shows a concerning lack of morals.

Having a diagnosis doesn’t automatically mean someone is eligible. ADP isn’t based on diagnosis. Neither is entitlement based on the extra costs someone has. It is based on how someone functions across daily living and mobility activities.

I cannot believe you typed that. Disgusting. This is money that is no longer available to the state to spend on cancer care etc because lots of greedy arseholes can’t be bothered to get a job and earn money. Do you understand that? If the state is spending in one place it cannot spend in another.

This is just another example of the way the abhorrent SNP pisses away taxpayers money.