Carers

Rev · 2 May 2011 at 2:04PM

anguk wrote: »

Don't forget carers allowance has gone up, it's a massive £55.55 now. Don't spend that raise all at once.

Do you live with your mother? If so they may take in to account the benefits/pension she receives because they'll assess benefits by the income coming into the household.

If you live on your own I'd check again, I've just done a quick calculation on the direct.gov website using estimated figures for a single person paying rent and council tax benefit. If the only income you have is carers allowance you'd also get approx £40 income support and housing and council tax benefit.

Try doing a benefits estimate and see what it says:
https://www.dwpe-services.direct.gov.uk/portal/page/portal/ba/lp

I know, I may move to the Bahamas or somewhere exotic with the extra cash.

Yes, I live with my mother.

Rev · 2 May 2011 at 2:07PM

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

So who pays for your rent and council tax?

I'm my mothers full time carer, I live with her and thus don't really pay rent.

As for council tax, I'll be honest and say I have absolutely no idea. I've never received a letter or anything asking for it.

krisskross · 2 May 2011 at 2:24PM

Rev wrote: »

I'm my mothers full time carer, I live with her and thus don't really pay rent.

As for council tax, I'll be honest and say I have absolutely no idea. I've never received a letter or anything asking for it.

So you don't just get the £55 a week or whatever it is. You also get free rent and council tax. These things all have to be paid by most people. Have you ever lived independently with all the bills and responsibilities this entails?

anguk · 2 May 2011 at 2:26PM

Have you tried to claim for help with health costs through the Low Income Scheme, at least then you'd be able to get your prescriptions, dentist, eye tests etc free?
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/1125.aspx

dark_lady · 2 May 2011 at 3:21PM

Kriss Kross Rev is saving the Government a lot of money by caring for her mother at home so a the rent and council tax paid is not a lot to get in return really is it. What do you expect her to do, go out to work and leave her mother lying around in her own !!!! till she can get home and clean it up??!! Then kriss kross you would be the first person on here slamming her for neglect although you are slamming her now so i guess she just cant win. At least you have proved her right though when she said carers are seen as work shy scroungers.
Because of attitudes like yours i would advise people not to become carers. And with an attitude like that you would not survive five minutes in an Italian family. I have an Italian mother and a British father. When i was a kid my dad always used to say that the Italians have more respect and treat each other with more respect and care than British people do. When i was younger i used to wonder what on earth he meant. As ive got older i now know EXACTLY what he means. And that point is proved time and time again by some of the attitudes shown on here!

thorsoak · 2 May 2011 at 3:39PM

bigbill wrote: »

Getting back to the original question?

Without scare mongering.

I did read somewhere (Perhaps in the Universal Credit guidance) that this government were indeed talking about limiting Carers Allowance ONLY to people looking after someoen with high care of DLA or high rate AA

I nursed my OH 24/7 for the six weeks before he died from Pancreatic cancer at home. Yes, the District Nurse came in to see him daily, to administer his medication via a pump driver - and she was wonderful and very supportive to me. Yes, we had two sets of carers come in - morning and evening - to assist with washing etc. But who did the rest - the helping him on and off commode, the moving him in bed when he was uncomfortable, giving him sips of drinks when he wanted them, helping him to get out of bed, go through to the sitting room and then decide that he wanted to go back to bed 5 mins later? Who got up 3 or 4 times in the night when he wanted something? That's right - me! And I did all this gladly with love.

And did I get Carer's Allowance when he was (eventually - on the day that he died) granted DLA? No. Why not? Because I was in receipt of State Pension

Oldernotwiser · 2 May 2011 at 5:25PM

dark_lady wrote: »

Kriss Kross Rev is saving the Government a lot of money by caring for her mother at home so a the rent and council tax paid is not a lot to get in return really is it. What do you expect her to do, go out to work and leave her mother lying around in her own !!!! till she can get home and clean it up??!! Then kriss kross you would be the first person on here slamming her for neglect although you are slamming her now so i guess she just cant win. At least you have proved her right though when she said carers are seen as work shy scroungers.
Because of attitudes like yours i would advise people not to become carers. And with an attitude like that you would not survive five minutes in an Italian family. I have an Italian mother and a British father. When i was a kid my dad always used to say that the Italians have more respect and treat each other with more respect and care than British people do. When i was younger i used to wonder what on earth he meant. As ive got older i now know EXACTLY what he means. And that point is proved time and time again by some of the attitudes shown on here!

The point is that carers don't just receive the £50 per week CA, they often receive their housing costs as well, whether they live with the person they're caring for or living separately. It's incorrect to say that they only receive CA, any more than saying that the unemployed just receive JSA. Actually, I'd be interested to know whether Italians receive any money at all for caring for family members or do it for love and duty.

I would also point out that both KK and myself are our husbands' carers, so have personal experience of the situation.

wattdallas · 2 May 2011 at 5:34PM

I too am a carer for my daughter ,she needs care 24/7 care she is totally dependant ,she cannot walk,talk,poor vision and has severe daily seizures.

I would care for her reguardless of CA .All my CA goes on extra electricity and gas with all the mounds of washing i do.

Its a pittance really

Rev · 2 May 2011 at 5:48PM

krisskross wrote: »

So you don't just get the £55 a week or whatever it is. You also get free rent and council tax. These things all have to be paid by most people. Have you ever lived independently with all the bills and responsibilities this entails?

Yes.

My mother own her own house, She has just finished paying her own mortgage, which I helped with when I could. I pay bills here, gas, electricity, shopping, insurance etc are all split between us, I don't get a free ride. I don't get free rent, I just don't rent from the council/a private landlord. So please tell me how I get my housing costs paid for? Does money secretly get given to my mother for my rent? Do they secretly pay my bills? I have bills like every other person sharing a house, just because it's my parent I share with doesn't mean I get a free ride.

And as I said, I have zero idea about council tax. If it's paid for me, it's good to know the council earn more money for me doing my job that I do.

I may seem bitter, and guess what, I am. I've done this for 26 years. It starts to grate after a while.

Marisco · 2 May 2011 at 5:55PM

So who pays the council tax then??? I hope someone does, otherwise you'll get hammered for arrears!!!!:eek: Does your mam only get a state pension, or has she other income? If she has a private income, that is probably why you only get the bare minimum.