DLA/PIP/Appointee advice please

[Gymbob]

I am re-posting here hoping to get some replies......

DD turns 16 later in the year and I've been sent the form that will decide the PIP she will get instead of DLA. At present we get lower and middle rate, which amounts to about £320 per month.

My question is, has anyone been through this process yet, and has anyone applied to be an appointee? It all looks quite scary. My DD is not good at managing money. The DLA has always gone towards paying for her expensive hobbies and transporting her around etc, but now as she will be 16 the payments will go direct to her, unless I have a good reason as to why they can't. I will have to attend an interview to explain the reasons why she shouldn't have the money. I know it will be reduced using the new PIP, but don't know by how much.

I have had to broach the subject with her and she says she wants the money! She says I can put it into a special account if I want for her to have when she turns 18. I've told her we can't afford her hobbies without the money, but she is adamant.

I feel in a vulnerable position. I may have to end the hobbies if she insists we pay rather than her PIP. Of course she doesn't fully understand - she has special needs - but I'm told that she would need to have further special needs to not be awarded the money directly.

HELP!

[April2020mom]

I also applied for DLA last summer. Since DS and DD both have congenital impairments I skillfully described the impact on our day to day life. Our claim was for physical disability. We use DLA for travel expenses and to cover additional costs of therapy and equipment.

[goughbug]

Thanks so much for the advice you've put on hear for appointee meeting, we've had our son's today, nothing like I thought it would be after dealing with my wife's pip 4 years ago, I'm now laughing at how stressed I got for very little, Jackie the representative was very helpful and not at all condescending like we've had before. Thanks again streakybacon

[MumUnderTheMoon]

Dla is meant to provide for extra expenses on a daily basis it cannot be saved in a trust fund.

[Nic1970]

If any parents live within the Lewisham borough I'd be happy to form a meet.
Thanks

[Nic1970]

That is very helpful. Thank you x

[Nic1970]

I will have a meeting with my daughters care team next week and will post back.
I am an autistic parent.
I have no idea what to do about my daughter's payments.
I would have thought that the money should be in a trust fund.
She could use this money to hopefully take driving lessons ect. In the future.
Very interested in everybody's opinion

[MumUnderTheMoon]

Nic1970 you have to be able to prove that she cannot manage money or that access to large sums of money will make her vulnerable. Make an agreement with her that she can have a certain amount for fun things and you will look after the rest. If she will say that see agrees to this then you should be made appointee with much less hassle.

[2old2beamum]

Gosh you all seem to be having it hard. DS deaf blind and cerebral palsy the process was seamless.
Filled in form, nothing about appointee and money still goes into our bank account. I reckon I must have been lucky.
Good luck to you all.

[Nic1970]

Hi all I'm new to this but have a problem too with my daughter turning 16 in January.
She is not capable of managing her own affairs due to autism and I feel that the PIP payment will not be of benefit for her future if she personally receives it.
She will no doubt demand to have the money though!
I wonder whether the money can be held in a trust fund. 16 is far too young for a vulnerable person surely.
She is home tuitioned and has social services support.
Do you think that the authorities can help?

[Schumacher312]

Has anyone here challenged a decision DWP ?, I have been removed as an appointee on the basis of a quick interview, without the Assessing Officer taking the time to examine the case in any detail. The money will now go straight to my son who has Alcohol and Drug problems, and will be able to indulge himself.He has Autism which affects his judgement.

[teresagresswell]

If kid has been assessed/written statement from consultant who knows your child a long time /back up from school.thats what i needed dwp rep came to my home 5mins signed form made appointee.+ i never knew i could claim for 16 years!!!!. No body to a se me justnpresumed i knew .emotionally drained .but still only half way there.

[teresagresswell]

Please let me know how u get on.

[teresagresswell]

I was made appointee for my son.sorry last reply Dident state.get on to disability .Org.they are brilliant/ turn to us .Co.uk.there info is priceless.

[teresagresswell]

It was all over in 5 mins .I think it depends on who you get.

[sophielouise97]

Need some advise ive just become my parteners appointee as he's just moved into my mum and hes mum was his appointee was refusing to give him any of his own money still, and im still waiting for the a home visit to become his appointee does anyone know a number i can ring to sort it out been waiting 2 months now got no money

[streakybacon]

[Fuzzymum1]

Finally I have some news.

A couple of weeks back I received a 'we're still working on it' letter and today I have received their decision.

My son has been awarded the enhanced daily living component and the standard mobility component.

He was receiving the middle rate of DLA care component and the low rate mobility so by switching to PIP he's getting around £25 a week more than he was on DLA - sadly they don't backdate it as it's been 9 months since we applied, PIP starts and DLA stops 4 weeks after the decision is made.

Having heard many many horror stories I was quite concerned he wouldn't qualify for it - though the points scheme gave me hope that he would get something I wasn't sure they would see his difficulties in the same way I do.

He received 12 points for daily living. He also received 10 points for mobility as although he doesn't have physical disabilities his inability to navigate an unfamiliar route means he would have no hope of going struggle to go somewhere new alone.

[streakybacon]

Thanks .

[Fuzzymum1]

I think they run side by side, some assessments are done by ATOS some by Capita.

[streakybacon]

Is Capita the new ATOS?

[Fuzzymum1]

The Capita assessment was an interview lasting about 1 hour with a very pleasant lady. We were sent an appointment - 30 miles from home starting at 8.10am! They pay travel costs but will only come to your home if there is no other way - if there is no other way of getting there, and it's pre-agreed, they will pay for a taxi.

[LarrytheCucumber]

According to the MS Society only 34,000 of the 220,000 applications received have been processed so waiting might well be the name of the game.

[Fuzzymum1]

Still waiting here but I will try and remember to come back and update when we do hear something.
At the capita assessment we were reassured that until a decision is made about PIP that DLA will continue at the previous rate.

[Gymbob]

thanks larry

[LarrytheCucumber]

I think you do have to have some kind of interview although as far as I know this can take place in the claimant's home and they can have someone present.
Despite what you read in the media there are meant to be arrangements to make the assessments more friendly for people with conditions such as ASD who would find going to an office intimidating.
I was doing the opposite. We (after a lot of discussion) decided DS probably didn't qualify for DLA any more. When I rang they said he had to be reassessed for PIPs and that the DLA would continue until the PIPs assessment was made. When we got the PIPs form we did not feel he met all the criteria so we said we would not fill in the form. Even then he continued to get DLA for another 6 weeks until the date on the PIPs form passed so we had time to change our minds. I don't think they just stop your DLA. It seemed remarkably fair to me. (DS isn't 'cured' just a lot more able to cope than he was when his DLA award was made).