Can Any One Help....

welshcakes

7dayaweek, yep, back on track. Flash - your DLA assessment will be made on it's own merits and irrespective of your OH's circumstances. However, the DLA form as you will know, is extremely specific and searching so what they may enquire into is that your application reinforces and does not contradict the information presented regarding the abilities you are capable of in looking after OH.

That's the only complication I can think of and am only guessing that it might raise further enquiries. However, if your needs and that of your OH are both independently warranting of DLA, in theory you should both receive such. DLA is not means tested though CA I think is taken as income so there will likely be some compensatory reductions in other benefits etc however you would still be slightly better off financially (from recollection of advise given on a similar thread some weeks ago).

At the end of the day, if you feel you tick all the boxes for receiving DLA then you should apply as the worst that can happen is it would be refused. Good Luck and chin up, I know it can be exhausting being a mum and a carer whilst coping with severe emotional health problems.

Penny-Pincher!!

I am actually assessed by social services for full time care...about 25hrs pw in care terms. This would amount to £375pw if I wanted but I chose not to as I dont want a stranger looking after me! Even if I took the care from the council my OH could still claim CA-seems very unfair though and is a big strain on my hubby...bless him. If it got too much for OH I would accept the care but not ATM

Im only 32 as is OH. Dont think he thought he would be doing this for work when we met at 13:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :rotfl:

Penny-Pincher!!

DLA is also linked to your NI number, so if you are claiming CA for your hubby this may raise a flag ...Im not sure though!

PP
xx

Zara33

I am a single parent with a disabled child, who gets DLA and carer's allowance so i know exactly what the forms entail, but my point is if i am meant to be able to care for someone else then surely i am able to care for myself. If i had been diagnosed with a mental disability then surely i am no longer fit to care for the other person (hope that makes sense)

welshcakes

I understand what you're saying zara about capacity to be a Carer if that person has mental disability severe enough to warrant DLA and on paper that makes perfect sense. However there are a whole spectrum of specific mental health diseases/conditions that severely impair an individual's ability to maintain a reasonable and safe degree of self care on a daily basis as considered reasonable by the government. I'm not talking about depression (clinical depression affects something like 1 in 3 adults during their life in the UK). I am referring to conditions that require prescribed medication and are normally a chronic condition. These are sometimes conditions that present as an inability of the individual to communicate to a reasonable sustained level with the outside world or an articulate degree with external bodies.

bigbill

I will ignore all the posts and answer the original question?

There is nothing at all stopping you trying for DLA, your mobility problems, supervision and care NEEDS will decide if you qualify or not.

There are special rules for carers when it comes to claiming Incapacity benefit, so even although you might not have worked for many years you may very well still get it, although you cannot get Incapacity and carers at the same time, incapacity is obviously a lot more.

Your partner cannot get carers allowance even if you did get middle or high care as he earns well over the £84 weekly earnings limit.

To answer the double carer question?

DLA can be paid at middle or high care (Carers Allowance qualifying levels) for someone who needs constant supervision as they are a danger to themselves or others, it follow that ANY two people who live together and supervise each other could and should claim and get carers allowance for looking after each other if they both have the right levels of DLA in payment.