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Hi FM,This is a common control issue with social workers I'm afraid.The answer is that the ONLY people you have to answer to as far as how you spend DLA is the DLA office in Blackpool and the child on who's behalf you are claiming and spending it. It is the CHILD's money, not the LA's, not your's, but you can spend it however you see fit to make life for your child easier. If that means that you use a laundry service, or buy more expensive pre-prepared veg and meat with it, or have takeaways a couple of times a week so that you have enough time to spend with your child, then that's good enough. As long as you could satisfy DLA office that how you spend it is about making your child's life and thus your life, easier in managing his/her disability, that's good enough.The LA cannot direct you how to spend it, save it, whatever, although if you require specific things for the child, like extra money for additional laundry costs, extra bedding etc. they may ask that you use some of the child's DLA money to contribute to the cost.You should NOT be saving DLA, it is for the child's day-to-day living costs, and ultimately significant savings would mean that a child who later left care and was entitled to benefits ended up having to use the accumulated savings until they were exhausted before they could claim means-tested benefits - its a totally false economy to build up more than a couple of thousand in savings for these kids. It also leaves too big a pot of cash for them to use and abuse later on as older teens.If you write to Blackpool to ask they will write you a letter back saying what I have said in the first para and telling you it is not the LA's business and they have no right to ask for evidence of how you spend it. As I said, only if you were asking the LA for additional disability ££'s on top would they really have a right to suggest that you use a proportion of that money.I did have a copy of a letter someone else got, but I am trawling my PC and can't find it.HTH, Midge

Hi MidgeThanks for that information, that is how we see it. I did find a letter that someone posted on another site but unfortunatly its dated 2005. I can now throw this back at our la.Thankyou againFostermum

This does make me hopping mad! It is a Disability LIVING Allowance, not a savings allowance. It should be used for the benefit of the child now, in whatever way is appropriate for the child and his family.There was a discussion about this in the Fostering Networks magazine a few years ago - I wonder if there is something in their archives? Queenie

Thanks Queenie I will have a look and if need be will contact them, as I feel we now need something in black & white which states exactly what dla should be used for and by whomFostermum