Benefits information and advice

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Helping your child to manage their own benefits  

When your child reaches 16, it is expected that they will manage their own benefits claims.

If you think that your child would be unable to do so as they get older, you can apply for the right to deal with the benefits of someone if you think that they wouldn't have the understanding of this.  The DWP would then arrange to visit and they would complete a Mental Capacity Assessment around this to decide if an Appointee for benefits is needed and why that would be.

An Application for Deputyship can be made if someone lacks mental capacity to understand their finance and affairs.  A separate Mental Capacity Assessment would be needed about this in order to make an application.  However, Appointeeship is likely to be sufficient and therefore Deputyship isn't necessary, if the only income is a young person's benefits. 

If someone is granted Deputyship for someone's Finance and Affairs, they are authorised by the Court of Protection to make financial decisions on that person's behalf, once Deputyship is in place.

You can find more information on Gov.uk website on applying to become an Appointee.

Where to get benefit advice

South Gloucestershire council have commissioned a number of agencies which make up the South Gloucestershire Advice Service, more details can be found on the council’s website.

Contact”, a national charity for disabled children and their families also provide details on their website listing financial information around disabilities and have a free helpline that you can use.

Turn to Us are a charity that can also offer benefit advice.

Appealing a benefits decision

If you find you are not happy with the decision made about any benefits you have applied for, you can appeal a decision about your entitlement to benefits. Further details on how to appeal is displayed on the GOV.UK website How to appeal a benefit decision