disability living allowance

[k.g]

ARE IP,S ALLOWED TO TAKE MY 13 YR OLD DISABLED DAUGHTERS DISSABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE AS PART OF MY INCOME,ONLY MY IP HAS AND THAT MONEY NOW NEEDS TO BE SPENT ON MY DAUGHTER,WHAT CANI DO ABOUT IT NOW.I AM TWO YEARS INTI AN IVA.

[Skippy]

As far as I'm aware the DLA should be included as part of your income, but this should then be offset against the extra expenditure.

[aguise]

I am sure skippy is right. Though it is included as income it should be offset as extra expenses in your I and e.

Ang

[lily]

The only thing you can do is ask for a revised income and expenditure. When I was working out my figures I offset some of the DLA on the extra expense of having a disabled child/ren. You know like hospital stays, tumble drying, broken stuff, chewed up jumpers etc. Anyhow you were probably under a lot of stress at the time of agreeing and its easy just to agree than to think ahead. I am sure your IP will be able to factor in the extra expenses relating to your daughters needs, thats what the money is paid for at the end of the day. Please continue to post ot let us know how you get on.

[k.g]

hi lily.thanks for that info.we will do what we have to do now to get our expenditure higher and pay less a month to our credeitors.will keep you informed of how we get on

The only thing you can do is ask for a revised income and expenditure. When I was working out my figures I offset some of the DLA on the extra expense of having a disabled child/ren. You know like hospital stays, tumble drying, broken stuff, chewed up jumpers etc. Anyhow you were probably under a lot of stress at the time of agreeing and its easy just to agree than to think ahead. I am sure your IP will be able to factor in the extra expenses relating to your daughters needs, thats what the money is paid for at the end of the day. Please continue to post ot let us know how you get on.

[rachellxx39]

My 13 year old is also receiving dla and it was included as income in our ivas. It is up for renewal in Jan 2009 as she hasnt got lifetime award at present so dont know what will happen if she isnt awarded it again !!!!!!

[MelanieGiles]

It is correct to include this allowance in your income, but if it is not guaranteed and is withdrawn then your IP will need to consider varying the IVA to take account of the income reduction.

[rachellxx39]

So if the dla for my daughter stops next year will we have to tell ip straight away . She gets £136 a month at present so without that as income it will make a difference to our iva payment.

[MelanieGiles]

Yes - you will not be able to maintain your IVA payments with that loss of income, I am sure.

[lily]

Hmm, I never thought of that, mine have got it for life so I didnt consider it.

[rachellxx39]

She should get it for life (i feel) but she hasnt been awarded it for life . This award is for 3 years.She gets dla for mobility and care at low rate. It took me 2 years to get it for her as she was turned down twice and then i had to appeal.Anyway her condition hasnt changed for the better, if anything got worse so will shall just have to see.

[connie]

its a bit unfair they take this into acct.
i work in benefits so i know they only take it into acct to give you a disability premium but they disregard it as income.
i know getting it is a bit of a nitemare. it took my dad years to get it. my mother tried getting it but because she'd bought a stairlift etc to make life easier at home they said as she'd provided herself with things to make her life easier she didn't need it. which i thinks unfair seen as she had to fork out to buy stuff to make her house disabled friendly.

[mish1953]

Rant coming ...

Its morally obscene to use a DLA towards payment of an IVA [:(!]

In my opinion there can be no excuse for the creditors to use money provided by the taxpayer for the purpose of providing help for a disabled person.

If they want to record the payment they should balance the DLA with expenditure.

Im sorry about the rant , but it's just wrong.

Blood boiling
Mish

[lily]

This might sound a bit blamey but I just know that I was solvent before I had to move house to accomodate my disabled kids, I fought social services who wanted to take one away rather than help, took them to the ombudsman. They gave me an adapted house as soon as the ombudsmans letter was ready told me to move in, in 8 days. There wasnt even paint on the walls just concrete floors too. I worked in NHS and we have to give 3 weeks notice of holiday leave as patients are booked 3 weeks in advance, I couldnt get the time off so had to pay two lots of rent. Then they expected me to move on my own,I broke my car trying to take heavy stuff. Needless to say I got loans, I felt backed into a corner, oh and they gave me the house 2 days before christmas on the 23rd Dec. I wouldnt be in this mess if I hadnt been put in this position, I know that, but I did sign for the loans and if I had the time again I would have asked for more help from the people who know me and would have cared, realistic time scales and affordablitly by a single parent from those that put me in this position and would not have listened to the the the listening bank who were obviously only thinking about making money and not about affordability. Too late now though, hindsight is a wonderful thing. ~When I looked into an IVA they said youre a good bet because of the DLA payments but I still need you in full time work, just how on earth could I???? They did agree to write one lot off as I did have extra expenses. But I tell you, I do 24/7 job as it is. I have really wanted to rant about this now I have, you really have to suffer to get this money, its not a freebe it affects the whole family, the siblings get a very raw deal. There is no other authority that I know of where DLA is counted as income and carers allowance is a joke.

My rant over too.

[pixie]

DLA is a benefit that is paid for a specific purpose it is not income. When it's paid for a child it's for their welfare and should in no way be classed as income for the parent.
Even if this is taken into account every single penny should be offset against extra expenditure. Special kids have special needs and these need to be met in full. From the basic day to day to the family holiday.
Social services sound like a complete nightmare in your area Lilly. It's hard enough without having to fight the system as well. They have been quite good on most occasions when we've needed them within the family.