carers allowance

gem4

My dad is 77 and was awarded AA in Dec. My jcp adviser said I should apply for CA now because it will take the pressure off trying to find a job which fits in with his care because I wont be hounded into looking for work. I claimed CBJSA when I left work in Dec as I didnt know what else I could do.
She gave me a form to fill in, and said I am eligible for it. It states 35hr minimum care, but does not have a section asking what I do for him, when and for how long each day, nor does it say what constitutes 'care'.

He does not live with me, he lives alone. His AA states its for constant supervision with or without short breaks so that he's not a danger to himself and others.
I do not provide 'personal' care but do need to be with him when he goes out, shopping, bank, hospital, doctors etc, in addition to doing his housework, garden etc and making sure he keeps on top of his bills, bank statements, making phone calls on his behalf etc. Consequently I am still 'on call' even when I'm not physically with him. I am the only family member who lives close.

How do I prove to DWP the level of involvement I have with my dad if it doesn't ask for how my time is spent on the form, and is there anything that 'doesn't count' as care providing?
Its all very confusing, I'd be grateful for any guidance.

Mojisola

Who is asking you to prove what help you give him?

If it would help you to see what you do, you could keep a diary for a couple of weeks. Write down everything you do and all the time you spend with him or doing things on his behalf.

sleepless_saver

I wouldn't worry about trying to account for every minute, just confirm on the relevant bit of the form that you spend at least 35 hours a week caring. The form's not really looking for info on exactly what you do and you don't need to provide this.

Does your dad get any income related benefits e.g. pension credit? If he does, you need to bear in mind that you claiming carers allowance will affect his income as he lives alone.

Mojisola

AgeUK would give advice about your Dad's benefits.

I think you're worrying too much about proving what you do. Someone can claim CA because he has the entitlement to AA.

As long as you know that what you're doing is helping your Dad, relax.

gem4

Thank you for your replies.

No-one has asked me to prove anything as to what I do for him, I just think it a bit odd that there is only a declaration for him to sign to confirm what I have put on the form. I guess I'm just not used to the benefit system.

He does get a pension credit but its only about £2 a week. I thought from reading information that it would only affect his income if he received a severe disablement premium....which he doesn't. Can anyone confirm this? I don't want him to lose money by my claiming CA, he lives on little enough as it is :think:

Maybe I just feel a little guilty at claiming a benefit when he is my dad because I would give all that care and more free of charge.
He cared for me when I was growing up and its only right that I should care for him now he's old and needs help.

rotoguys

gem4 wrote: »

Thank you for your replies.

No-one has asked me to prove anything as to what I do for him, I just think it a bit odd that there is only a declaration for him to sign to confirm what I have put on the form. I guess I'm just not used to the benefit system.

He does get a pension credit but its only about £2 a week. I thought from reading information that it would only affect his income if he received a severe disablement premium....which he doesn't. Can anyone confirm this? I don't want him to lose money by my claiming CA, he lives on little enough as it is :think:

Maybe I just feel a little guilty at claiming a benefit when he is my dad because I would give all that care and more free of charge.
He cared for me when I was growing up and its only right that I should care for him now he's old and needs help.

Forunately or unfortunately depending on your views of the benefit system, there is no system in place that will check or quantify how many hours or what you do in those hours. For all intent and purposes, just being at the end of a telephone is considered to be caring!

I get DLA MRC (& HRM) and my wife gets AA. Now to be honest we both have difficulty in looking after ourselves.
Yet I was advised to claim Carers Allowance for my wife and she claim Carers Allowance for me. In other words we care for each other yet can't care for ourselves if that makes any sense.

To me it sounded a bit sus and illegal, but we were assured that no one will check on us.
How this can be I don't know.

Then we have a friend of similar age who lives on his own and has a son that lives almost 400 miles away. The son claims Carers Allowance for his father. It seems that the time spent on the telephone counts, the time spent sorting things for him, and surprisingly as does the travel time it takes to get to him and back + the 4/5 days a month that he stays over with him (spread over a weekend to make up two weeks of caring), but goes to see friends of his from uni.

That benefit must be one of the most widely abused ones around.

Whiteknight

gem4 wrote: »

Thank you for your replies.

No-one has asked me to prove anything as to what I do for him, I just think it a bit odd that there is only a declaration for him to sign to confirm what I have put on the form. I guess I'm just not used to the benefit system.

He does get a pension credit but its only about £2 a week. I thought from reading information that it would only affect his income if he received a severe disablement premium....which he doesn't. Can anyone confirm this? I don't want him to lose money by my claiming CA, he lives on little enough as it is :think:

Maybe I just feel a little guilty at claiming a benefit when he is my dad because I would give all that care and more free of charge.
He cared for me when I was growing up and its only right that I should care for him now he's old and needs help.

If your father is living alone and has been awarded Attendance Allowance then he will get the Severe Disability Premium as long as no one is getting "paid" Carers Allowance for looking after him - his Pension Credit may only be £2 at the moment, this could be be because they have not actioned the change - normally when the Pension Service are notified that someone getting Pension Credit has been awarded AA they would need to check if the customer is living along and qualifies for the SDP payment before changing the award.

Depending on whether you need to care for your father I would have thought staying on Job Seekers Allowance would be better as you would only get £55.55 a week Carers Allowance.

It does appear that the JCP like to get people off the books!

anmarj

gem4 wrote: »

Thank you for your replies.

He does get a pension credit but its only about £2 a week. I thought from reading information that it would only affect his income if he received a severe disablement premium....which he doesn't. Can anyone confirm this? I don't want him to lose money by my claiming CA, he lives on little enough as it is :think:

due to his award of AA he could get the severe disablement premium ie an extra amount of money, if he is classed as living alone and no ones get carers allowance in payment for him. The AA as income would be disregarded under Pension Credit.

d.wright117

Sorry to butt in but the replies intrigued me

My mum receives MRC + HRM, IS with the premium but lives with her friend who receives pension credit AND carers allowance - altho no amount of CA paid...

Is this correct or are they being wrongly paid? From comments and website you must live alone?

rotoguys

Whiteknight wrote: »

If your father is living alone and has been awarded Attendance Allowance then he will get the Severe Disability Premium as long as no one is getting "paid" Carers Allowance for looking after him - his Pension Credit may only be £2 at the moment, this could be be because they have not actioned the change - normally when the Pension Service are notified that someone getting Pension Credit has been awarded AA they would need to check if the customer is living along and qualifies for the SDP payment before changing the award.

Depending on whether you need to care for your father I would have thought staying on Job Seekers Allowance would be better as you would only get £55.55 a week Carers Allowance.

It does appear that the JCP like to get people off the books!

Plus Income Support??? and with no conditionality attached.

creditcardhelp11

d.wright117 wrote: »

Sorry to butt in but the replies intrigued me

My mum receives MRC + HRM, IS with the premium but lives with her friend who receives pension credit AND carers allowance - altho no amount of CA paid...

Is this correct or are they being wrongly paid? From comments and website you must live alone?

You can claim the SDP if you live with someone else and they are not close relatives and are joint tenants. There are also some other exceptions were a person will still be classed as living alone for the purpose of the SDP.