Carer's Allowance - stunned

knightstyle

You can work up to 9? hours a week and the person you are caring for gets money to pay for someone (you?) to help with essential care. You will still struggle as a couple but it is livable. Plus have you thought of asking charities for help? Ones associated with previous employment are best.

altojack

Meena, I have just signed the petition. I used to work part-time and had to give up one of my days to look after my mother. I couldn't claim anything but used carers from social services in the mornings and day care 2 days a week (will I went to work) I have since left work completely, mum in a home, due to altzimers, it became too difficult to look after her at home.
Anyway, my point really was to say I know how tough it can be, and I do think it high time the government took this situation seriously and paid 'home carers' more what they are worth.
I just hope the petition gains plenty more signatures

foxxymynx

to be frank, yes, you give up working to care for someone and get £50.55 a week for saving the government thousands a year

mspig

When i left my job to care for my son we found the same thing - going from a good wage to £50.00 a week, then when my other son was found to have disabilities i enquired about carers for him and was told even though i was caring for two disabled children(both with very different illnessess/disabilities) i was only entitled to one lot of carers.
I am used to it now as its been a couple of years but i still don't think that its right or that the money is enough, were just quite lucky that my husband has a good paid job, but sometimes i wish he was here to help with the little ones as its damn hard work(luckly the 5 year old goes to school now), but we don't get help from anyone else. I have seen one of my sons social workers once when we were filling in the DLA form and the health visitors haven't been in well over a year, my eldest has been referred to OT but there is an 18mth waiting list, my youngest has his meds at home which i was trained to do and has to go to the hospital every 3 mths for check ups but apart form the visits to the hospital we don't get anyone coming out here.

leo2moss

There is another issue - if you claim Carer's allowance for someone, then DWP can sometimes reduce that person's benefits (depending on what benefits they claim), making them worse off!

hamstercheeks_2

meema wrote: »

here it is

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-carer-poverty.html

I've signed the petition:T

weanie

leo2moss
I agree that it is rather odd and works unfairly in some cases. For example - my mother receives a severely disabled entitlement along with her pension. This money is greater than the carer's allowance but depends upon her living in her own home.
If she were to move permanently to my home, this would stop and I could claim carer's allowance. The problem is that I cannot claim carer's allowance because despite having become a part time employee for the singualr purpose of giving my mother care, my earnings are greater than the £95 weekly wage the carer's allowance would allow me to earn.
Another strange situatonis that currently she is allowed direct payments from social services to allow some care in her own home. We are very grateful for this and use this to fill the gaps when I am working. If mum were to live with me and I were to re-place this care and request payment to me, I would be unable to receive this money becasue I would fall under the category of a close relative livingint he same home as mum.
These rules are created for reasons but sometimes it is hard to accept the logic of the rules in your own particular situation.

Swan_2

signed .......

allydowd

meema wrote: »

Just when I thought I couldn't be more shocked..if you are awarded carers allowance at 50 quid a week, the person for whom you are caring loses the severe disability component of their own benefit, which is 50 quid.

You have read this correctly. You might also qualify for Housing Benefit (if you are a tenant) and Council Tax Benefit; however, these two benefits are seldom enough to meet the actual costs of the rent and Council Tax. For example, our rent is £58 but we only get £53 Housing Benefit. And we still have to find £20 a month Council Tax because the benefit doesn't cover it all.

mariesuzi

also signed,,