Transition from DLA to Personal Independence Payments for my 15 yr old son

[DaisyDukesAuntie]

I got a letter from the DWP this week, with a deadline for response of 1/10/24.....

My son is 15.5 yrs old and gets DLA - he has a diagnosis of Autism and ADHD. The DLA decision letter we got said it would be payable until he was 17 and then would need renewal etc, this letter now says his DLA will stop when he turns 16.

Once he is 16, he is responsible for his own benefits according to the DWP 🤨

I can apply to be his "appointee" but not because I believe this is too young, I have to give reasons.

Has anyone else had this letter and how do they plan on explaining the need for an appointee? I feel confused about how much his lack of emotional maturity is due to his age and how much is due to ADHD and Autism.

I spend every single penny of his DLA on him, but the thought of him having £400 to spend in his bank account every 4 weeks is a bit of a stretch and surely they would know this if they accepted the blooming DLA claim forms that outline his disability and how it affects him 😳

Thanks for any help!

The dla won't stop once he reaches 16 has long has you apply for pip they will carry on paying dla until a desision is made.
When we got the letter for dd we wrote that she couldn't be trusted to use the money appropriately and that she wasnt able to deal with the paper work involved. Dh is her appointee for pip.
She didn't have a pip assessment they went off the paper work sent in.
My husband did get a call asking him to Confirm he was her appointee and that she wasn't able to deal with the claim herself.

Thanks - that helps - I have many reasons why I feel it's best to be his appointee. Impulse control, maturity, his tendency to give money to others as he is very trusting and naive (and generous).

The DLA award letter says the award will continue until 17 to allow for transition to PIP. All DC will be invited to apply for PIP when they turn 16. If DS, or you as appointee, applies for PIP when DS turns 16, DLA will continue to be paid until a decision is made.

If you think DS is unable to manage the claim himself because of his disabilities, you will need to explain that in order to become appointee. The reasons you explain will depend on DS’s needs. From your post, you say ‘Impulse control, maturity, his tendency to give money to others as he is very trusting and naive (and generous).’ this. They don’t use being in receipt of DLA as a sign an appointee is needed because for some that isn’t the case &/or things have changed since they last completed the forms and the forms are based on a child’s benefit not someone 16+ needing an appointee.

Sorry to jump on this post I’m looking for some advice around when to apply for pip instead of DLA - daughters DLA runs to the day before 17th birthday so when do I need to apply for pip before she’s 16 or after she’s 16

When DD is 15 years 7 months, DWP will write to you to inform you of the upcoming change to PIP and to ask if an appointee will be required. At 15 years and 10 months, DWP write again to you to remind of the upcoming changes. At 16, DWP write to the 16 year old or their appointee if they have one to invite them to apply for PIP.

They will write to you they wrote to us around 2 months before she turned 16 asking if we wanted to claim pip dh filled in the form that came with that letter and then around 2 weeks after dd turned 16 we got the letter asking us to call and start the pip process.
DD turned 16 in the January and the whole pip process was finished by April.