any financial help for someone caring for their partner?

building

my partner's mum is caring for her husband. she has requested carer's allowance but they say she earns a little bit too much on her pension (not very high but i believe the carer's allowance has a very low criteria). she spends her days helping him with hospital appointments, help with some physio exercises etc that he cannot do on his own etc. she is worried because she says she gets no financial help. is there anything that exists? thanks in advance.

Ted_Hutchinson

The amount you can earn while on CA is as follows:
You must not earn above £82 a week. We will not count money you pay out for things like:

• some National Insurance (NI) contributions
• income tax
• half of any money you pay towards a personal or occupational pension
• paying someone who is not a close relative of you or the disabled person to look after the disabled person while you are at work (up to a certain limit)
• paying someone who is not a close relative of you or the disabled person to look after your children aged under 16 while you are at work (up to a certain limit)

some other expensesHowever as you mention her pension I think this will be the limiting factor rather than earnings. Carer's Allowance is an "Earnings replacement" benefit and as such the State only pays to replace your earnings once. So Incapacity Benefit overlaps Carers allowance and they overlapp pensions and vice/versa Where benefits overlap only the highest amount and not all the amounts gets paid. So it's probably that her pension is slightly above £45.70. she would have got had CA been payable.

If her pension was £40 then CA would have been the top payer and her pension would have been made up by an extra £5.70 so you see how well Carer's are treated by this administration.
It seems to me the way forward would be for him to increase the money coming in by claiming Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance (AA)
DLA is for people who are below 65 years old and AA for those 65 and above. If he is nearly 65 then he must be advised to get a move on and apply ASP as there are several major differences between the two. As he may qualify for Mobility Allowance this would make a major difference to their finances however this is only a part of the DLA and AA doesn't have this are an equivalent to the Low Care Element of DLA. So although the forms are easier for AA the qualifying criteria is higher and the rewards, given there's no Mobility, much lower. Do post back or look at the stickies in the Benefits Forum for futher Claiming advice.

Splashie

Your partner's mum would perhaps benifit from advocay advice.

There is bound to be an advocay project in your area for carers - they can help her find out and access services in the area.

I'm a volunteer advocate myself but I don't work with carers but with those requiring the care usually.

Advocacy is simply about empowerment - google your area and the word advocacy.

Good luck

feel free to PM me if you think I can be of ues

Splashie

chrissiesurfergirl123

In addition to the above:-

If your partner's mum is under 60 and receiving an occupational pension (you do not say whether the pension is Occupational or State Retirement Pension) she may be able to claim Income Support as a carer for her husband. Contact your local Social Security /Jobcentreplus Office to make a claim.

If she is over 60 she may be entitled to Pension Credit. Contact The Pension Service for this.

She may also be able to get help with Council Tax/rent based on low income or possibly if her husband is disabled. Contact your local council about this.

I would advise her to contact her local Welfare Rights service via local council who will be able to give detailed benefits advice.

Help may also be available with fares to hospital - she should ask about this acheme the next time she attends hospital.