Can I afford to give up work to be a carer?

Aputsiaq

Tehya wrote: »

Hiya, you're right.

We we're told we could claim IS as long as the claim was in my name as the carer. To claim ESA also with the Carer Premium my hubby has to have that claim in his name as he's the ill person but it's been left to us which way we wanted to claim.

Aputsiaq you said you can never be better off on benefits please read my other post carefully as I'm better off by £16 per week claiming ESA and Carer's than we we're claiming ESA and my wages, plus I'm saving my own health and sanity because caring for a loved one maybe rewarding but it's also exhausting, expensive and emotionally draining.


How I'd have worked overtime to make up my money I'd love to know when my caree needs me at home especially as I have my own disabilities, which I've worked with for 20 years, as do many other carer's I know. I think most people lack the knowledge of what life as a carer is like.

Tehya

Money wise you may be better off not working but thats about it.
We all need to have self worth and a feeling of being able to contribute to society and pay our own way. It does get difficult though when we are faced with needing to look after someone who is ill. Sometimes its not the best thing to give up work to care for someone for both parties.

Tehya

Aputsiaq wrote: »

Money wise you may be better off not working but thats about it.
We all need to have self worth and a feeling of being able to contribute to society and pay our own way. It does get difficult though when we are faced with needing to look after someone who is ill. Sometimes its not the best thing to give up work to care for someone for both parties.

I'm glad you can see my financial facts and advice were correct.

As carer's we contribute to a total saving of 87 billion pounds per year. So our self worth is is pretty much intact. I also know beyond a doubt that the quality of care this army of carer's in this country provide is better than the "up you get, stick you in the shower, dress you in whatever is available, leave you on your own for most of the day" care from some other sources because of government underfunding.

I'll leave it on that note before the OPs thread goes totally off topic.

kingfisherblue

I am a carer and I am financially better off not working at the moment. My son needs substantial care both during the day and overnight, but I do some voluntary work so that I have another dimension to my life. I have also gained a degree (part time over five years). Better qualifications and voluntary experience mean that I hope to have a reasonable chance of paid work when I am able to return to work.

dug123

I am a full time carer for my wife. My wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness about 7 months ago and I immediately went on the sick, my 28 weeks were up a couple of weeks ago and after many debates and much talking with the McMillan benefits helpline we discovered that if I returned to work we would be about £15 per week better off. We get DLA maximum amount plus mobility allowance, we also get housing and council tax benefit , we have 2 children and get child tax credits and child benefit, we also get income support.
I get carers allowance and this is a total of £85.30 per week and because this is classed as a full time job I do not have JSA and do not need to go to the job centre.
My work involved being away from home a night or 2 per week and I was not in a high paying job anyway and so we decided that I would stay at home and look after my wife and as I said above we are now getting between £10 and £15 less per week than if I was back working full time.

The loss of earnings is nothing compared with the benefit of being allowed to spend all the extra time I do with my wife.

cyberbob

Aputsiaq wrote: »

Noone is ever better off not working.

What a silly uninformed blanket statement do you not think that caring for someone for 24 hours a day isn't working? Also as well as yourself you need to think about the person your caring for. Sometimes they are better off if you care for them rather than let strangers that constantly change and do a poor job care for your caree while you try and hold down a job

Limana68

OP
I am a carer- both to my hubby who has a rare genetic disorder and my mum, whos 80 and lives with us. We also have two young kids.
Up until 6 mths ago I was working full time, but for my own sanity have cut my hrs to 30, I was off sick for a few mths but now do part time hrs and have weekends off.
Luckily I am in a well paid job, and have a very supportive employer, but like you I did consider leaving but we have a mortgage, and I do not think we would be able to survive on benefits to be honest. I am also thinking about my pension as I have been paying into it for past 15 yrs so realistically I am better off staying in work.
However, if things get worse and my hubby ends up in a wheelchair full time( which he will at some point) then I will reduce my hrs even further but I do not thnk I will give up work totally as I actually see it as my time away from the mania at home!
So what I am saying is everyone's situation is different, what's works for some, doesn't for others etc, so think hard about giving up your job.

Li

Limana68

I would like to add that I also have a supportive family and my brother who is not working at the moment comes into the home and helps out with stuff while I am at work.
If I didnt have that then I would have to pay for carers to come in, so things would be totally different again!