PIP - how to manage money?

[ThatchersCold]

I just applied for PIP for my dd who is 16 and currently gets middle rate DLA care and lower rate mobility.

I know there’s an overwhelming possibility that she will just be turned down, but on the off chance that she’s not, I was wondering how others manage their child’s PIP money?

I am her DLA appointee at the moment and she gets an allowance of £50 per month. All the extra costs of her disability fall on me - e.g. driving her because she can’t use public transport, paying for things related to her special interest etc. And this won’t change for many years, she is a long way off being independent or being able to manage her own money.

But I’m aware that it is her money if she is awarded. It will be quite an impact for me as a single pArent when she doesn’t get DLA, but what’s fair and what do others do with their teenagers PIP money in terms of letting them have it or managing it for them and carry on spending it on things they need? If I gave it all to her it would be gone within half an hour on buying stuff from Japan!

My DD is 18 years and I discussed her PIP with her. We agreed that she has £100 a month to do social things with her sisters and at college (eg buy lunch at cafe and eat with her support worker). She has ASD and knows the rules are to spend the money to help her socially and not to spend all of it on her special interest. Having tje responsibility has given her some good skills and she is a lot better at recognising internet scams after a nasty scare where we had to contact the bank after she have her bank details to a phishing text message. She is also a lot better at not losing her bank card. The rest of the money is in the bank waiting to be spent on special needs driving lessons when covid allows. If I needed the money to pay for day to day stuff I would do that to.