Benefit question on behalf of my mum.

Auzelia

Hi,

Im asking this for my mum.
So...

She gets atm, DLA Mobility component of 46.75 (which pays for her car, so she doesnt actually get the money) as she has COPD and is on a lifetime award.

She claims income support atm, CTC and CB
these are the amount she gets

I.S £65.42 (she gets £15 odd taken off for a loan and £6 odd combined for rent and c.tax arrears)
CTC £49 odd
CB £18.80

Now she doesnt claim the care component as she is a single parent and has my 8 year old brother living with her and is scared to claim for it incase social work get involved and take him off her! (dunno why she thinks this)

If she was to claim for the care component (which I think she needs) how much extra would she be entitled to?

another thing, she received a letter stating that she was not able to claim I.B as she hadnt paid enough N.I / Tax. and was for that reason on I.S.

now she has been told 2 months after receiving that letter that she is now going on I.B benefit.
Why would they do that. Would she be better off money wise on I.B or on I.S.

Thanks x

schmink

Usually your mum would be better off on IS as this entitles her to CTB and HB. But if her IB is less than her IS she would be entitled to her IB and the rest made up of IS so she'd be no worse off really - does that kind of make sense, I'm not very good at explaining things!! If her IB is more than her IS she can apply for help with CTB but it may not happen automatically (depends on your local council).

Also, your mum wont have her son taken away if she claims the care component of DLA as it may actually be him that provides some of the care (bless!). The very basic role of entitlement is that if she requires help in the day she would have the low rate (£17.75) and if its care in the day & night it would be middle (£44.85). More severe than this it would be the high rate (£67.00).

This is an ace website that can give you further info. All the best

schmink

Sorry I forgot to attach the website link - doh!!

Here it is..... http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/DisabilityLivingAllowance/DG_10011925

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/On_a_low_income/DG_10018708

Auzelia

Thanks Schmink.

Its just confusing as to why they said first she cant get IB cos of N.I contributions but now want to put her on it.

Will have a look at the website x

schmink

A lot of the time they will just award IS as its not such an indepth process and then look into how many NI contributions you have afterwards. If your mum has worked for a few years previous to her illness its likely she will be given IB. The benefit system is an odd one!!

Auzelia

she has the letter stating she is not entitled to IB,
going to go to the jobcentre with her tomorrow.
they have stopped her IS and put her on IB but didnt bother telling her, and as IB is fortnightly she has no money this week apart from her CTC and CB

healy

schmink wrote: »

Usually your mum would be better off on IS as this entitles her to CTB and HB. But if her IB is less than her IS she would be entitled to her IB and the rest made up of IS so she'd be no worse off really - does that kind of make sense, I'm not very good at explaining things!! If her IB is more than her IS she can apply for help with CTB but it may not happen automatically (depends on your local council).

Also, your mum wont have her son taken away if she claims the care component of DLA as it may actually be him that provides some of the care (bless!). The very basic role of entitlement is that if she requires help in the day she would have the low rate (£17.75) and if its care in the day & night it would be middle (£44.85). More severe than this it would be the high rate (£67.00).

This is an ace website that can give you further info. All the best

Below is the correct DLA criteria :

The Care component
The care rate is based on the amount of help that you need from other people

In order to qualify for the higher rate (currently £67.00 per week) you will need to show that-

you need frequent help from someone else in connection with your bodily functions during both the day and the night

or

that you need supervision from someone else during both the day and night in order to prevent danger to yourself or others

You will also recieve the higher rate if you need help with bodily functions during the day and supervision during the night or vice versa

In order to obtain the middle rate (currently £44.85 per week) you need to show that you require help or supervision either during the day or during the night



In order to obtain the lower rate (currently £17.75 per week) you need to show that your disability means that you need help during parts of the day or

that your disability means that you cannot cook a main meal for yourself even if you have all the ingredients