andy your memory is 50/50 right
my stepson was 18, so he had to have his own ilr app, also a fee, but he was still a dependent of his mom. so he had to be given the same outcome as his mom (ILR)
and you should know i would never pay the gov more than i need to, so i've never been to a peo, as long as you've got the evidence requested, you will almost certaintly be granted FLR or ILR, unlike other visas, as you've already done the hard work getting here
