All Kinds Of Everything Parent Notes

Why might it be of interest?

There’s so much to know about when your young person becomes a young adult and moves into adult based services.  You will be aware of a lot of these changes but there will be things that you don’t know about – and possibly don’t even know that you need to know about.

Not everything will affect your young person but by having an awareness of everything that might change will help you determine what might affect your young person and any action you need to take to prepare for the transition into adult services.

I have further documents with more information on the topics covered in this workshop on the information hub:  https://ruils.co.uk/article-cat/send-transitions/

I have split the information in this article into 2 parts – this part with some details and another document with the Chronology for Education, Social Care and Healthcare as there are many parts of these transitions that have very specific timelines:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/all-kinds-of-everything-chronology/

 

Education

The first major change is that the EHCP format changes to the Preparing for Adulthood format around year 9 – age 13/14.

Your LA may already be using this – or they may have a combined version which covers both younger children and older children.

Section B categories change to:

• Further ed, higher ed, employment
• Independence and independent living
• Community and friendships
• Maintaining good health

Some of the information in the current Section B categories will transfer quite easily into these new categories but some will need rethinking.

Opportunity to start thinking about where the young person will be by, say, mid 20s

• It might help with what your next steps will be
• Or which school/college will be best post 16 or post 18/19

You might want the outcomes to reflect longer term and looking forward – where is all this support leading?

Each Annual Review from now on should be seen as another opportunity to look forward.  And when your young person is in their last year at their current school the AR should be in the autumn term.

If your young person is leaving their current school at the end of year 11 (age 16) then this is the time to start considering the next educational placement.

Give yourself plenty of time to look for the next educational placement

• I would recommend starting your research at least 2 years before
• For example if your young person is leaving school in summer 2029 you should be starting your research by the beginning of the autumn term in 2027
• Look early, look widely

You can:

• Research online
• Go to open days
• Most colleges won’t let you do an individual visit unless there’s a good chance your young person will attend – this is really for when you have a short list

For specialist provisions – this doesn’t include SEND departments in mainstream colleges – look at https://natspec.org.uk/

For general advice on how to approach choosing the next educational placement have a look at our Colleges – Making the Right Choice – on the Ruils information hub:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/college-making-the-right-choice/

If your young person is changing schools at the end of year 11 you will receive a phase transfer letter asking for your choices to be made by around the middle of October.

You don’t have to stick to this date but keep in mind that the longer you delay the decision the higher the chance the next placement won’t have a place for your young person.

Maintaining the EHCP:  the young person must be in an educational setting:

• This doesn’t have to mean school or college but it is likely to
• Supported internships and apprenticeships have an educational aspect so the EHCP is maintained in these settings
• Other settings that you might think are educational may not count – don’t make assumptions
  • The LA may say that the young person’s needs can be met by social care

If the EHCP ceases:

• If a young person is not going to be in an educational setting the EHCP will cease
• You can’t keep it going if the young person is not in education and has no plans to be in education
• However, it can’t cease just because there is a break if there are plans for a further educational setting
• A young person planning to go to uni should have their EHCP in place until their start date – they will not have an EHCP on any higher (ie degree and above) course
• Therapies in the EHCP are only delivered while the EHCP is active

Post 18

May not be 5 days a week – 3 days a week is not uncommon but still considered full time.

The SEND Code of Practice has this to say:

Where young people have EHC plans, local authorities should consider the need to provide a full package of provision and support across education, health and care that covers five days a week, where that is appropriate to meet the young person’s needs

 What this means is that you have the backing of the CoP to work towards getting a 5 day package which could include education, volunteering, work experience, etc and some of it may be funded by social care rather than education and can be at more than one provider.

The CoP also recognises that our young people may need longer in education or training to achieve their outcomes.

But:

• There is no absolute right to remain in education until 25
• LAs will want to see that the young person has opportunities for progress rather than a repetition of previous learning

 University

If a young person goes to uni their EHCP does not go with them!  It ceases on the day they start their course (although the LA may try to cease it before that)

• Indicate that they have a disability on their UCAS form
  • which will trigger the opportunity to apply for a disabled students’ allowance – an allowance that funds additional costs because of their disability
  • Evidence of disability – GP, consultant, professional assessment if specific learning disability
• If they need social care at university this is funded by adult social care so an assessment will be needed in plenty of time
• Essential to do diligent research about the university and the course
  • Beyond course content
  • Is the uni spread out, different campuses?
  • Field studies
  • Support groups available, socially
• Essential to speak to the learning support department
• I have excellent documents about going to uni, the disabled students’ allowance, etc:  https://ruils.co.uk/article-cat/university/

 

Social Care

If your young person has a package with children’s social care nothing is likely to change before age 18 unless needs change.

And in Richmond and Wandsworth the care package is stable and meeting need it is held by the SEN Caseworker – not a social worker or family support worker.

It can transfer back to social care if needs change or the current package isn’t working.

Richmond and Wandsworth maintain a tracker which is basically a spreadsheet with information about all the local young people who have been identified as likely to need support from adult social care when they reach 18.

I would imagine that all LAs have some sort of system in place.

Not all young people with an EHCP will be eligible for adult social care

In fact most young people with an EHCP have it purely for educational purposes.

Rising 18:

If your young person has been identified as likely to need support from adult social care you should be contact by ASC (adult social care) to arrange an assessment of their needs by the time they are 17 ½ if not earlier.

You can make the referral yourself if you think your young person might have fallen through the net.

The aim is to have the new package in place by the time the young person turns 18 and it can take a few months from initial assessment to getting it in place.

The package your young person receives from children’s service – or not – will not determine what they might be eligible for once 18

• But if nothing significant is changing it might be a good starting point

Think about what you want a social care package to achieve before the assessment, eg

• Accessing social activities
• Help to manage domestic tasks
• Going shopping

I have some excellent guides to help you understand and prepare for the assessment.  Look for the articles that refer to the Care Act here:  https://ruils.co.uk/article-cat/adults/

If your young person has significant healthcare needs they may be assessed for NHS Continuing Healthcare at this stage

• If eligible their care package would become the responsibility of the NHS

Example when Soph turned 18 I asked for:

• 3 hours 3 times a week to pick her up from school (I was picking her up as she wouldn’t go on the bus)
• 5 hours at the weekend to go out and about, shopping, social, etc
• 1 hour a week so she could access a youth club once a month
• We previously had 5 hours a week, 12 overnights a year and holiday clubs

We also had an additional 5 hours a week as there were no overnight respite options that she would access so we had the money to pay a carer to stay in our home with her once a month over night while we went away.

If you haven’t had other people supporting your young person so far this is a good time to think about starting:

• You may feel that you can carry on doing what you do
• But young people need to start separating from parents, close family, etc
• If they are going to need support as an adult they need to start getting used to the idea

Minimum Income Guarantee and Disability Related Expenses

If your young person’s benefits are over a government threshold (the minimum income guarantee) the young person will have to make a contribution towards their care package.

This may be the case if your young person receives the enhanced rate of PIP and the highest rates of Universal Credit.

There isn’t a single figure that applies to all as age and disability needs are considered and your young person may be able to demonstrate disability related expenses – these are costs that they incur because of their disability.

More information about the Minimum Income Guarantee here:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/minimum-income-guarantee/

More information about Disability Related Expenses:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/dre-costs-to-offset-against-contribution/

Adult social care assessment

• Ideally this is carried out before a young person turns 18 but it can be done anytime after
• Not all young people with a need for educational support will be eligible for adult social care
• They need to have an eligible disability
• Support needs in at least 2 out of about 8 daily living activities
• eg, personal hygiene, managing a habitable home, dressing appropriately, accessing the community
• And if these needs are not met it will be detrimental to the young person’s wellbeing

A young person is offered a package based on where they are living and the support they currently receive.  If a young person moves into supported living, for example, their needs probably won’t change but how those needs are met most likely will!

If your young person is not deemed to have needs under the care act then you are on your own:

• Social care will not pay for support
• Your young person cannot access supported living or independent living
• Residential care would be self-funded

 

Healthcare

• Different services have different ages for transition
  • Make sure you are having conversations with specialist services well before your young person turns 18
• Your young person may no longer see a paediatrician
• Their care will revert to their GP if other arrangements are not in place by the time they turn 18
• Young people with learning disabilities may start having an annual health check
• Young people with LD should have this noted on their GP record – you should check
  • This is specifically LD – ASD, ADHD, etc are not included

You should expect healthcare professional to talk to and involve your young person:

• If your young person can’t make their own healthcare decisions these will usually be taken by the relevant healthcare professional
  • But you should expect to be part of the discussion with your views – and those of your young person – taken into account
  • This is taking decisions by a BEST INTERESTS process
• If your young person can make their own decisions then they are their decisions to make
  • Even if they seem unwise
  • Ideally your support will help them make wise decisions

Most healthcare will be provided via universal services – ie the same way all of us access healthcare

However, your GP can refer your young person to specialist services if needed:

• For Richmond and Kingston the specialist provider is Your Healthcare

If your young person continues to have an EHCP then therapies specified in this will continue:

• There may be some practical issues with a change of placement in who delivers, how and where but the young person remains entitled to the provision in the EHCP
• Early discussions with the new setting are essential
• Your SEN Caseworker is the person who needs to make arrangements if necessary

• Schools and colleges may well have block commissioned therapies and this might be true of the new setting
  • If not different arrangements will need to be made
  • In theory if suitable support can’t be arranged at the new setting you could ask for a personal budget to pay for therapy directly
  • I don’t know of any families who have done this so can’t say how well it might or might not work
  • You may well have to decide if the fight to continue with therapies is worth the effort

Sympathetic GP?

I know it’s a big step to change GP but if you have a GP who is not on the same page as you it might be worth looking into changing.

The NHS must make it as easy for a disabled young person to use health service as it is for people who are not disabled.   This can mean reasonable adjustments such as:

• A carer being present
• Longer appointment time
• Quiet space available to wait

Therapies

• You can refer your young person to Your Healthcare
• They will do their own assessment and offer therapy where they feel it is needed
• Therapy is less likely to be long term
• The NHS is set up to assess, provide therapy and then move on
• You can re-refer but it is likely that a period of therapy will be delivered and then it will stop

 

Mental Capacity and Decision Making

• Overlapping legislation – Children’s Act and Mental Capacity Act
• Technically the young person is deemed able to make their own decisions from 16 and certainly from 18
• If any disagreement a mental capacity assessment may need to be carried out for specific decision
• Certainly your young person should be as involved as possible
• Do not expect conflict – but be ready for professionals to treat your young person differently

When a young person turns 18 parents no longer have an automatic right to make decisions on their behalf:

• In practice parents will mostly continue to be the people making decisions where the young person cannot do so
• If there is no PoA or deputyship ALL decisions MUST be taken as part of a BEST INTERESTS process
  • This means all interested parties discuss and agree (hopefully)
  • For health decisions the final decision will be taken by a health professional
  • You should always be involved
• A young person does not HAVE or NOT HAVE capacity as a blanket status
  • Capacity is decision and time specific
  • So, a young person may be able to make some decisions for themselves but not others
  • If they have a fluctuating condition they may be able to make a decision at some times but not at others

We have information about mental capacity and assessments on our information hub:  https://ruils.co.uk/article-cat/mental-capacity-act/

You might hear scare stories about local authorities taking over decision making for your young person and cutting family out.

These are just that – scare stories.  While LAs may sometimes become the responsible authority for a disabled young person it is:

• Not common
• Not easy – they have to apply for deputyship
• LAs don’t want or have the capacity to take it on

 

Guardianship

There is no concept of a young person having a guardian once they turn 18.

• A person might be recognised as a ‘responsible person’ for some processes, eg during a mental capacity act assessment. If you have a Power of Attorney or deputyship you are that responsible person.

 

Wills, Trusts, Deputyships, LPAs, DWP Appointee

 DWP Appointee

If your young person is in receipt of DLA when they turn 16 you will be asked whether they can manage their own money or need someone to manage it for them – this is the DWP Appointee.

You can become a DWP Appointee at any time or stop being the Appointee at any time.

• As a DWP Appointee you can manage a person’s benefits
• You do not have the right to manage any other money they may have

This is the simplest application you will do!

I have never heard of anyone being turned down – even when the young person is more able.

More information here:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/being-a-dwp-appointee/

 

Wills and Trusts

• Make a will
• Create a discretionary trust or disabled person’s trust
  • This can be in your will, or
  • Possibly a living trust if there are grandparents or other people who might leave money directly to your young person
  • or even yourself – pensions, for example, are not passed on through your will
  • Avoid leaving a vulnerable young person a lot of money or property/assets
    • Benefits stop
    • Vulnerable to scammers
  • Use a specialist firm

More information here:  https://ruils.co.uk/article-cat/wills/

Power of Attorney or Deputyship?

It’s may be obvious that your young person has capacity to grant you their Power of Attorney – or not.  If in any doubt have a look at this article:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/lpa-or-deputyship/

PoA is possible if a young person has capacity to understand that they are giving you their authority to manage or help with managing their financial affairs

• The situation can be explained in simple terms – it doesn’t have to be complicated
  • Have a look at the Mencap easy read guide
  • https://ruils.co.uk/article/lasting-power-of-attorney-easy-read
  • My personal opinion is that if they can follow this well enough you can have their PoA
  • But if they can’t then I think you are on thin ice!
  • DO NOT fudge the capacity issue as you really don’t want to be challenged just when it matters

• You can apply for a PoA for financial and health online

• Financial PoA can be used as soon as it is granted
• A health PoA does not give you the right to make health related decisions on behalf of your young person
  • You can only make decisions for them when they do not have capacity
    • eg when sedated during an operation
    • if they have mental health problems that leaves them unable to make decisions at times and a decision can’t be delayed

If your young person has the capacity and consents to your involvement and / or decision making then that’s fine.

More information here:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/lasting-power-of-attorney-overview/

 The alternative is a Court of Protection Deputyship

• A deputyship is only an option if your young person DOESN’T have capacity
• Don’t assume you will need a deputyship
  • You probably don’t need it!
  • Still very hard to get a personal welfare deputyship
  • 50+ page application, takes about a year, ongoing responsibility
  • You may prefer to have a deputyship anyway as parents have reported that they feel it gives their voice more weight
• If you are the DWP Appointee for your young person you can manage their benefits

More information here: https://ruils.co.uk/article/deputyships-at-a-glance/

 

Benefits

DLA/PIP – a disability benefit and NOT means tested

• After turning 16 any DLA renewal will mean applying for PIP
• It appears that young people are asked to apply for PIP as they turn 16 – regardless of the duration of their DLA award
• It is important that you complete the application when asked to do so – you really don’t have a choice – if you don’t apply for PIP the DLA will stop
• Changes to PIP will not come into effect until after a review – at least the end of 2026
• If your young person has not been receiving DLA you can have a look at the PIP application any time from age 16

Other benefits (yours)

• If you are receiving benefits which include elements for your young person there shouldn’t be any changes to them at this stage
• You may have to confirm that your young person is still in education post 16 to continue to receive child benefit
  • I seem to recall getting a letter
  • But you can go online using form CH297 (https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19)

Universal Credit (UC) – means tested, income replacement benefit

• This is the main income for our young people when they have left education
  • If not working or on a low income
• There are 2 elements: basic and the health or limited capability for work related activities (LCWRA) element
• New limitation on receiving the health element – not paid until a young person turns 22
• And paid at a lower rate – £50 per week approx. – from April 2026

With some preparation your young person may be able to claim UC at the end of the school year when they are leaving their current school – even if they are going onto another school or college.

What does receiving education mean?

• If a young person is deemed to be ‘receiving education’ then they can’t claim UC 
• A qualifying young person (this is someone aged between 16 and 19 – up to the September after their 19th birthday) and in non-advanced or approved training for more than 12 hours a week
• On a course that is classed as full-time, advanced education
• On any course where a loan or grant is provided for maintenance
• On any other course that is incompatible with the work search requirements associated with a Universal Credit claim

This makes it difficult for 16-19 year olds to claim UC and for students on a degree, or equivalent course of study.

Young people still in education 19+ should be able to claim UC as long as:

• They are not on a degree course or equivalent, ie non-advanced education
• They will be deemed to have a LCW or LCWRA

If the young person has a LCW or LCWRA then their course is not incompatible with work requirements because they won’t have any work requirements – or if they do they will be manageable around their course.

However, there is a work around that makes the matter of receiving education irrelevant but you need to prepare!

From age 16, a student in receipt of PIP can make an application for a benefit called new style ESA, credits only.  It doesn’t result in any money but it triggers a Work Capability Assessment which determines if they have a limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work related activities (LCWRA).

The key is that a student planning on continuing in education after school has established that they have an LCW or LCWRA before they started the course.

This is what the application for new style ESA, credits only enables them to do.

The outcome of the WCA is binding on Universal Credit

These articles on the information hub have more information:

https://ruils.co.uk/article/new-style-esa-credits-only/

https://ruils.co.uk/article/uc-and-students/

https://ruils.co.uk/article/work-capability-assessment-points/

University students:  If a student has the LCW status before they finish school and start university they can make a claim for UC but you should be aware that the student maintenance loan counts as income and is likely to wipe out – or almost wipe out – any UC payment.  It may still be worth applying though as the young person is only considered to have the student finance loan for about 9 months of the year – ie when actually at university – so they may be able to claim for holidays.

Caveat:  if you are on benefits yourself and your young person makes their own claim (except for PIP) they will not be considered your dependent and any benefits you receive for them will stop.  You should take advice as families are not always better off with a young person claiming their own benefits.

 

Bank Accounts

• If your yp receives PIP and you are their DWP appointee it can be paid into a bank account in your name
• This could be the same account that DLA was paid into
• It can be your own bank account or a family bank account
• In the longer term – definitely by the time the young person leaves home and / or finishes in education – their money should be in a separate bank account

There are a number of options to help you manage your young person’s money and no one size fits all solution – just your preference, your young person’s preference and their ability to manage – or not – their money

The solutions can include:

• Their money paid into an account in your name
• Joint accounts
• Their money paid into an account in their sole name
• They share their transactions with you freely
• You have an app to oversee their transactions

A few things to be aware of:

• If you have a joint account with another person you are financially linked so their financial actions affect you and vice versa
• You are jointly responsible for the account – so if one of you misuses the money in the account you are both responsible
• If your young person has an account in their sole name you do not have any automatic right to access that account
  • Unless you have a Power of Attorney or a deputyship

This article on the Information Hub discusses those options in more detail:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/bank-accounts/

 

Child Trust Funds:

• Mixed picture here – some institutions will release funds with enough evidence that your young person cannot manage the money themselves
• Others require a Court of Protection order
• Over £6000 in the fund will affect a young person’s entitlement to benefits
  • you can spend the money to get their savings below thresholds for Universal Credit
  • But do it carefully – expenditure must be justified or it will be considered a deprivation of assets and counted as if the young person still has the money

More information here: https://ruils.co.uk/article/child-trust-funds/

 

Council Tax

When a young person turns 18 they are included in the council tax calculation and any discounts you receive may be affected.  You should have a look at your council website to determine what discounts, if any, you might be entitled to.

Some people are exempt from the council tax calculation, eg students or people with severe mental impairment.  Carers can also be exempt if they are providing more than 35 hours of care a week and the person they care for is in receipt of PIP daily living component.

So, for example, if there are 3 adults living in your home but 2 of them are exempt that would reduce your council tax liability by 25%.  If everyone in the home was exempt that’s a 50% reduction.

 

Living independently

There is a lot of information on our information hub here:  https://ruils.co.uk/article-cat/independent-living/

Supported Living:

• This is where the home and the care package are provided together
• Young people who need a significant amount of support
  • eg 24/7; 30 hours a week
• Generally organised by the LA but can be parent commissioned
• In general young people offered supported living will have at least a moderate learning disability or ASD
• In general, and certainly locally, this would not be the right cohort for an able young person without an LD, for example
• Care is usually provided by an agency commissioned by the local authority
• The young person has a tenancy agreement to live in the house and the rent is paid by Housing Benefit

Independent living in the community:

• Slightly different set up for more able young people who need a few hours a week of oversight or help but can’t manage entirely on their own
• Sourcing a home through the housing register or private renting
• Supported by adult social care – ‘floating’ support or outreach
• Rent will be paid via the housing element of Universal Credit

Residential Care

• Some young people will opt for residential care
• This is where the accommodation and care package are a single package
• You’d expect most services to be provided
• Young people will have to contribute most of their benefits towards their package, retaining a personal expenses allowance of about £30 per week (currently)

Community settings

There are different models of community settings

• Camphill
• Village communities
• A community may be a cluster of houses close together but no other facilities
• Or it may be a village setting where there are facilities onsite and maybe also shops or work places

Regardless of whether the living arrangement is in supported living / independent in the community or residential, the young person must:

• Be eligible for adult social care
• Have a social care assessment to provide the necessary support
• Which can vary from a few hours a week to 24/7

LA organised Supported Living

• Where there are spare rooms in existing houses the LA and the care provider will assess and offer a place if deemed appropriate
• May have flats in a block or a converted house for more independent young people
• No obligation to accept but don’t turn it down for minor reasons
• Essential not to accept a place just because
• Rent and eligible charges paid for via Housing Benefit
• Technically can provide housing for a group of young people but a bit of a new departure for the LA so we don’t know how well it will work out

 Parent commissioned Supported Living

• A lot of work but you commission – along with other parents – the care provider and housing provider
• LA still assesses for social care package
• Rent and eligible charges paid for via Housing Benefit

Housing benefit (Supported Living)

• Pays for rent plus eligible charges
• Is affected if a young person has an income – from work or otherwise
• Won’t lose HB but it will reduce

Young people living independently in the community will probably have their rent and eligible charges paid by the housing element of UC but they will have utilities bills to pay.

If they are working but on a low income they will still be entitled to UC and support with their rent but the amount they receive will be reduced.

Buying their own home

It is possible for disabled young people living on benefits to buy their own home through a shared ownership scheme.

Houses sourced through local Housing Associations and a young person would typically buy 25% and rent the other 75%.

Rent would be paid via the housing element of UC and there is a government scheme to support the mortgage payments to make this affordable.

Should not be viewed a profit making option.

Support available through an organisation called https://mysafehome.info/.

 

My young person lives at home – can I charge rent?

If your young person, post 18, continues to live in your home you can charge them rent, or maybe bed and board.

They must actually make the payment – you can’t say you are charging rent but not receive the money from your young person.

It helps to have a written agreement and to be able to demonstrate the regular payments.  A tenancy agreement is probably not appropriate but a lodger agreement would work:

• Specify the amount
• Clarify what the payment covers (eg a room, use of household facilities, meals, utilities)
• Signed by the parent and the young person – or their appointee

Have a look at this sample lodger agreement:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/sample-lodger-agreement/

Why might you charge rent?

Your young person is using household facilities and there is a cost associated with that.

If your young person is in receipt of a care package they may be making a contribution towards that package – if they receive both high rate PIP and both elements of UC (basic and LCWRA) then their income will exceed the minimum income guarantee and the LA will ask for a contribution.

You can ask the council to take the rent payment into account either as an eligible housing cost or as a disability related expense under the Care Act.

The rent that you charge can be considered as a disability related expense if you can link the payment to their disability related needs.  For example, while they are living at home you may be supporting their independence or stability at home.

I gathered this information from a webinar given by the Down’s Syndrome Association and you can read more on their website here:  https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/about-downs-syndrome/lifes-journey/housing-and-support-for-adults/support/charging-adult-children-rent/.

 

Free prescriptions / dental care / sight tests

Once a young person turns 19 they are not automatically entitled to free prescriptions, dental care, sight tests, etc

There are exemptions but being disabled and / or in full time education are not exemptions on their own.  Information and links here:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/help-with-nhs-healthcare-costs/

A young person is likely to be able to get help with costs even if not entitled to full help and the assessment is means tested.

 

ID

Our young people may not have many documents to prove their identity.

Consider getting passport – even if your young person is not likely to travel outside of the UK – this is the gold standard of proving your ID.

A provisional driving licence would be a good alternative – and it’s cheaper!

This may also be able to act as your proof of address as it is a legal requirement to keep the address on your driving licence up to date.

Keep copies of any documents that are sent to your young person about their benefits (ESA, UC, PIP)

• Or to you but reference your young person
• Or about the young person
• For example, a PIP letter sent to you will name your young person
• Consider putting their name on the Council Tax bill or a utility bill
• Any memberships they have – CEA, Access cards, for example
• Birth Certificate
• NHS medical card
• Building society passbook
• Bank account details (if they have their own account)
• Tenancy agreement
• Any documents from HMRC
• If you are not a British citizen any documents pertaining to your residency

Basically, you are trying to have enough documentation from a variety of sources that together there can’t be any doubt that your young person is who they say they are.

Why?  Good question!  You won’t have to prove your young person’s identify frequently but you don’t want it to be problematic when you do have to.

 

Free things and concessions

There are a lot of free or reduced cost options for young people with a disability and / or on benefits

• You will have to research individual organisations
  • Perhaps phone – many don’t promote concessions on their websites
• You will very likely have to prove that you are on benefits or have a disability
• PIP is not means tested so it doesn’t count for anything means tested

There’s a government website that enables you to get a quick proof of benefit:  https://www.gov.uk/proof-benefits-state-pension which might be useful if you need an update of your annual PIP confirmation letter.  You need to sign in with your Gov.uk One login – or create one.

For Universal Credit proof you will need to log in to your online account.

 

Freedom Pass 

Many of our young people will automatically be eligible for a Freedom Pass.  But young people who are very able but who would not be able to get a driving licence if they applied, ie, young people who would not be able to pass the test or who would not be safe to drive may also be eligible.

This may well include able young people on the autistic spectrum, for example, but is not limited to any specific conditions.  Under this category you will need medical evidence, for example a doctor to sign off that they would be unable to get a licence.

More information here:  https://ruils.co.uk/article/freedom-pass/

  

What do young people do when no longer in education?

• There are options
• Likely to be a patchwork
• Even if a young person is working if it’s not full time they will need things to do on days they are not at work
• Parents and care staff will have to work together to research options and create a schedule
• Whole day options, including daycare, are limited – and not suitable for many of our young people
• Lot of local organisations providing social activities
  • Throughout the week
  • At weekends
  • Usually carry on in school holidays
• RHACC offers ongoing study – cooking, drama, art
  • Young people can access mainstream courses if they are able to
• Essential to have the social care assessment to see if the young person is eligible for support