How disability benefits are spent

Good day to you...

Somebody I know has MH issues and is paranoid that they have to spend their disability benefits "a certain way." It is understood that the benefits are provided to support their disability needs.

However I believe it's a guiding principle that claimants have the freedom to spend the money however they choose (aside from deprivation of capital rules to avoid caps ..) and this person is worrying unduly.

Would anybody happen to have a link to the hansard, parliament.uk, gov.uk or other link that expresses this principle to put their mind at ease? [Due to the MH issue the source needs to be unambiguous and authoritative]. I've seen it before I think in committee discussions about uprating or similar, but cannot locate atm.

Thanks.

Something once that I did find a bit odd. I had used my local Age UK for some welfare advice. I mentioned, in passing to the benefit adviser I saw, that I saved some of my D.L.A. for times of need. The benefit advisor told me that I was not supposed to be saving my D.L.A. and must spend it on my disability needs. Now whether she said this to be kind, worrying that I might be depriving myself, or if there was a more authoritarian tone to her advice, I do not know. I did not ask her. Has anyone heard of anything like this before?

It could be because after the period that the DLA or PIP payment covers has finished, any monies remaining become savings. For example, DLA is paid on the 1st of the month. On the 1st of the next month, you have £200 left. This amount ceases to be considered by the DWP as DLA/PIP and becomes savings. So, if you already have the maximum amount of savings you need to notify them.

Okay. Thanks. That is good to know.