Walker

Walker said:

My son is autistic and dyslexia he is 16 years old and attends a special school until he is 21 I have never claimed any benefits for him I have been made aware that I could claim could you please advise 

Hi,
PIP is a possiblity yes. It's not awarded based on a diagnosis, it's how those conditions affect you daily. There's a PIP self test online that you can complete, this will give you some idea what he could score. It will also give you an idea what PIP is and the descriptors they use for scoring those points.

You'll need evidence to support a claim, for the best chance. If he's unable to look after his finances himself, or make calls etc then you can become his appointee. To start a PIP claim off you'll need to ring DWP PIP and at the same time you can ask about becoming his apppintee. They will then send someone to your house to arrange this, fill out forms etc. Very easy process to become his appointee. Good luck.
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Personal-Independence-Payment-(PIP)-Test/What-is-the-PIP-test
https://www.gov.uk/become-appointee-for-someone-claiming-benefits

Walker,

As Poppy suggests, PIP is the main one to look at.

If you are getting any income-based benefits yourself (such as Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit or Universal Credit which includes an amount for your son), make sure the office paying your benefits knows if your son gets PIP.  This is because it can increase the amount of income-related benefits you get.

As he is still in full-time education it's usually best for you to carry on getting Child Benefit for him. However, because he is 16, there may be a choice. It's possible he could get income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit in his own right. That is a complicated route and would only be worth it if, overall, you'd get more money as a family. I probably wouldn't advise it at the moment, but if you are working and don't get any income-based benefits yourself, you could consider it.

You can use the benefit calculator to look at the two situations separately.  You might want to get advice from a Citizens Advice Bureau as well. If your son gets PIP, there is a possibility that you or someone else who cares for him can get Carer's Allowance - which might give you more options about your benefit and work pattern.

Will