Please Help Me Help Our Cleaner At Work

Ms_Chocaholic

Hi

Before leaving work tonight, I was having a long chat with our relief cleaner (I'll call her Sheila for the benefit of this post) about society in general. Anyhow, she was telling me how she is really struggling (see below) and I offered to see what I could find out for her tonight and let her have it tomorrow.

Sheila's 45, her husband is 46 and has suffered with lympodema (I think that's what she said) for the past six years. He suffers with swellings of his legs and is on Incapacity Benefit. He must have it quite bad as he goes to a hospice (this bit she told me a few weeks ago when she was covering as we had a few bits n bobs laying about in the office and she was asking if no-one wanted it then could she have it to take to the hospice as they are always trying to raise money and have some sort of charity shop).

Sheila currently gets up at 4.30 every morning to start work at 5.00 ish. She goes on to one job after another, finally getting to our office at around 5.00 pm and finishes at 6.30 pm. On three nights per week she also has another job from 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm (a 13½ hour day)!

Sheila told me that her husband gets something like £65 pw IB and that's all they are entitled to. Their 18 yo son who works lives at home so it doesn't appear that they would be entitled to any reduction in their Council Tax (she has already visited the local CT office who informed her that her son should pay it).

They have a mortgage (small-ish she said but no exact figures). It's due to be paid off in two years.

I wondered if anyone knew what else she might be entitled to, ie Carers Allowance, DLA (she said she does apply cream to her husband's legs as he is unable to do it himself but I'm unsure what else he is unable to do and anyway if she's at work for the most part then he has no choice but to do things himself no matter how difficult). Also can she claim Attendance Allowance?

Would she be better off if she gave up work and claimed Carers Allowance?

Many thanks, on her behalf, for any help you can give.

Regards
Ms C xx

mummytofour

Basically her dh getting dla at middle rate or above is the key to everything.
Middle rates DLA would mean she could apply for carers allowance ( she would need to earn less than £90 pw). Alternitivly if her DH got DLA at middle rate DLA she could choose to apply for cares, and leave her jobs. She would go onto Income support and get help with her mortgage, council tax and have DLA, cares and IS.

cw18

Carers Allowance info is here

However, if she's working that many hours I doubt she'd qualify due to her income

Carers allowance is only £50.55 a week -- and that's taxable !!!! (fine if you don't have any other income, but not great if you're doing over 35 house/week caring on top of a job )

If they were allowed Income Support, then there is an additional Carers Premium of £27.75/week -- which I only found out when a particularly helpful chap I was talking to about Mortage Intererst assistance mentioned it !!!

DreamerV

It sounds like she works well over 30hours pw so would meet elligibility for working tax credits. She'd need to claim as a couple though, and it depends on their joint income if they'd be entitled to any money or if it'd be a nil award. In calculating income, her gross pay for last tax yr (07/08) + his IB (if it's long term rate as opposed to 1st 28wks at short term rate, and not been paid as invalidity benefit pre 1995) would need to be included....and the same for an estimate for the cy. In general if either year's income falls below around 17400 they might get some money. If he starts getting DLA, then the 17400 threshold would go up.

I don't know much about the other benefits though, sorry

V

Ms_Chocaholic

Thanks for everyone's help.

Sorry, forgot to say in first post that his IB (which she described as Incapacity Benefit and not Invalidity Benefit) was something like £60 per week (does that sound right).

Does anyone know what they would need to demonstrate to get DLA (I know absolutely nothing about it and I don't think she knows much about it either), is it about personal care and what level she provides this or is it more than this.

Thanks, your help is very much appreciated
Ms C x

Horace

Ms C

If husband isnt claiming DLA then I suggest his wife contacts the CAB who would be able to help her and him complete the form.

lotto-dreamer

I've done a bit of googling and found this which might help

http://www.entitledto.co.uk/aboutus.aspx

(It looks like Martin has recommended it and there is a link to MSE forums)

DreamerV

I've heard the DLA forms can be very difficult to fill in, in such a way as to have a successful outcome, but I have heard that the CAB are a dab hand at helping with these forms. Maybe it would be useful for this lady to contact CAB?

cw18

If his IB is only £60+, then it sounds like he's on the lowest rate (which runs for the first 28 weeks)

What are the benefit rates?

Under State Pension age
Short-term lower rate: £63.75
Short-term higher rate: £75.40
Long-term basic rate: £84.50

Ms_Chocaholic

Thank you so much for all your advice. I'll suggest that she contacts CAB but I'll also print off this thread for her so she can have a read through it before she goes (I doubt she has internet access).

Many thanks for the Entitled To link; I was aware of it but because I didn't have the family's full income details then I couldn't use it and I don't really know this lady very well to be able to ask her.

Oldernotwiser

I hope you encouraged her to make sure her son is paying his way; from a comment in your post it didn't sound as if that was the case.