Do I need to give my son the money for his car on mobility

Navigatingmum · 2025-04-25T21:40:56+00:00

My son has recently gone onto pip from dla and I’m his appointee due to him not being able to manage his own finances appropriately. i have recently received a car with the mobility entitlement but my son expects me to pay him the money that he loses out on for me having the car and I don’t no if this is right or wrong due to his way of thinking with having autism he sees this as he is loosing out financially from me having the car despite the fact I am a single mum on universal credit and the car is used for appointments, food shopping and taking him to his dads and picking up his friends to bring to our home as he has bad social anxiety and rarely wants to leave the house. I'm also not sure of how to give him a budget of his money as he would happily spend this on games online and things for his computer not daily living. Are you allowed to use this money towards paying house hold bills also as he’s 17 and currently not in full time education as he struggled with the social aspect of college and is currently struggling with his mental health, I honestly don’t no if I’m doing right or wrong here?

StrivingForSleep · 26/04/2025 15:55

As appointee, you can spend the money in DS’s best interests. Beyond that, there is no right or wrong. If the car is for DS, you don’t need to give him money as a replacement.

If DS is unable to attend college, does he have an EHCP? If he is no longer on your UC claim, have you claimed UC for DS?

frazzledbutcalm · 27/04/2025 23:28

It’s a tough one. Technically there’s no right or wrong, bit of an grey area,, although the car does have to be in his best interests. Did he agree to give up the mobility element for the car? Did you discuss it with him? I guess as he’s 17 you’re still in control of the money really, but once he turns 18, he’s an adult so it’s his money. Even if you’re his appointee, it is still all his money to do with as he wants. If he decides he doesn’t want the car, it will have to go back (once he’s 18).

As he’s not in education and receives PIP, he is entitled to UC in his own right, you can apply for this on his behalf as you’re his appointee.

StrivingForSleep · 28/04/2025 07:51

Nothing changes at 18. Just like at 18, at 16 and 17, the money is paid to the claimant unless they have an appointee. With an appointee, the appointee has to spend the money in the claimant’s best interest. They do not need the claimant’s permission or agreement on how to spend the money. It isn’t true to say if DS (now or at 18) doesn’t agree with using some of the money for the motability scheme the vehicle has to go back - the lease is in the appointee’s name and it is the appointee’s role to spend the money in the claimant’s best interest; they do not need the permission/agreement.

frazzledbutcalm · 28/04/2025 09:36

StrivingForSleep · 28/04/2025 07:51

Nothing changes at 18. Just like at 18, at 16 and 17, the money is paid to the claimant unless they have an appointee. With an appointee, the appointee has to spend the money in the claimant’s best interest. They do not need the claimant’s permission or agreement on how to spend the money. It isn’t true to say if DS (now or at 18) doesn’t agree with using some of the money for the motability scheme the vehicle has to go back - the lease is in the appointee’s name and it is the appointee’s role to spend the money in the claimant’s best interest; they do not need the permission/agreement.

At 18 the child becomes an adult .. they can contact PIP, police, doctors, anyone and say they didn’t agree to the car, don’t want it, they want the money. This will be looked into, an investigation will be done and things can change re the appointee.

StrivingForSleep · 28/04/2025 09:58

A 17 year old could do everything you listed. For PIP purposes, a person becomes an adult at 16. A child is defined as “a person under the age of 16” by Section 40 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012. Which is why at 16 parents don’t have the legal right to claim PIP on behalf of their DC unless they officially become appointee (or are some other relevant official representative).

That doesn’t change the fact, with an appointee, it is down to the appointee to spend the money in the claimant’s best interest and they do not need the claimant’s permission to spend the money in their best interests.

Of course, appointeeship can be reviewed. I didn’t say otherwise. That is a separate matter to whether an appointee needs the claimant’s permission/agreement to spend the money/use the motability scheme. They don’t.

frazzledbutcalm · 28/04/2025 23:56

StrivingForSleep · 28/04/2025 09:58

A 17 year old could do everything you listed. For PIP purposes, a person becomes an adult at 16. A child is defined as “a person under the age of 16” by Section 40 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012. Which is why at 16 parents don’t have the legal right to claim PIP on behalf of their DC unless they officially become appointee (or are some other relevant official representative).

That doesn’t change the fact, with an appointee, it is down to the appointee to spend the money in the claimant’s best interest and they do not need the claimant’s permission to spend the money in their best interests.

Of course, appointeeship can be reviewed. I didn’t say otherwise. That is a separate matter to whether an appointee needs the claimant’s permission/agreement to spend the money/use the motability scheme. They don’t.

Arguably they do once they reach 18. We’ll have to agree to disagree. 😊

StrivingForSleep · 29/04/2025 08:03

There’s no arguably about it. Legally, appointees, whether for someone 16, 17, 18 or 60, must spend the money in the claimant’s best interest but do not legally need the person’s permission or agreement to spend the money.