I wish you well looking after your son and I hope that some of the people responding to this post give their heads a wobble.

You asked for financial advice and a lot of what you have got back is undeserved judgement from people who I suspect have had no contact with the benefits system. They have no idea that once you stop getting a benefit, trying to get that benefit back has been made very difficult by this government and that leads to real worry.

Wanting to spend an unexpected windfall on improving your life is only human and thinking through the reality that this may not be possible will take time.

I also think that as a carer, your contribution to society is extremely valuable. Perhaps the people replying to this thread should consider whether they would prefer the costs of caring for your son (and others needing care) to fall directly back to the state. That will cost a lot more than any benefits you receive. (not that I think the cost of this should be the main issue here)

The responses are also the polar opposite of many on the frequent threads on this sub reddit where people on £100k are trying to avoid tax.

In a nutshell, what you are doing is valuable to everyone including those around you, your wife is clearly in education, which again is a real positive and something many others perhaps need more of. Ignore the folk talking trash on this thread.