Benefit advice needed

CACHAF

Hi, I need some advice on benefits, if anyone is able to help please?

At the moment my husband is unemployed after being made redundant in March. At the same time he was made redundant my gran started being unwell and I became her carer. As a result of which we were awarded just single persons level of contribution based JSA as I was unable to sign on as available for work (too much time spent caring) and the job center refused to exclude me from signing on a joint claim (apparently it is at their discretion) As my grans illness was new and out of the blue she didnt receive attendance allowance and so I was unable to claim carers allowance.

Now the six months on JSA is coming to an end tomorrow and we are unsure what to do next. It is also six moths since I became a carer and gran is now eligible to apply for attendance allowance and we have the dr's backing for it but this takes time and will be a while before it is through and I can claim carers allowance.

I have been offered some self employed work doing survey calls from home, which I can do at grans while supervising her but it is paid on results so not regular fied money or hours.

What I want to know is, if I take the work could we apply for income support or something else to top up the income and keep us from JSA? I'm worried that as I am still caring we will not be able to get JSA income based as I will not be excempt from signing on but am not able to go out and work. My husband is still desperately looking for work (he is a HGV driver and has never been out of work since leaving school before, apart from 4 months last year and this 6 months now)

What do we do?

hope someone can help us

[Deleted User]

you being her carer for 6 months makes no difference to if she gets AA or not,however there is nothing to stop her applying for AA again,maybe get some help from CAB welfare rights or DIAL with the forms.
you can earn upto £95 per week whilst being paid carers allowance.

CACHAF

I cannot receive carers allowance unless she receives attendance allowance. She cannot receive attendance allowance until she has needed the help for 6 months which is the time we are just coming up to.

Thats why I don't receve carers alowance yet, even though for 4 months Ii provided 24 hour care as she was so ill and now I provide 12 hours a day and nights when needed.

kingfisherblue

If your gran applies for AA, and you apply for CA (if she receives the AA), you will be able to earn up to £100 a week but you must inform the CA unit at Preston.

I can't see what grounds you would have for applying for IS, as your husband is able to work. He might get income based JSA, but may need to apply for jobs other than HGV driving. Maybe your gran's doctor could write a letter to confirm that she needs a substantial amount of care? You could also show a copy of her AA application to the Job Centre so that they can see what her needs are and why you have to be with her.

www.carersuk.org/ might be able to offer more help, or contact your local Carer's Centre is you have one.