A query on benefits for a family with a disabled child.

FBaby

wattdallas wrote: »

Fbaby could you tell me what help other help there is ?

Being able to claim IS, DLA, the disability element of tax credits, cares allowance, and the rest. That's A LOT of money every month that allows this family to only have one parent working 20 hours a week, so that other parent can be a full-time carer with the other still being able to provide significant support and still afford a decent lifestyle.

I'm not begrudging it before anyone starts getting on their high horse, but it is A LOT of support already that the family gets to deal with the disability in every way.

It is not about the disability, it is about the caring and struggling to do so. Most people struggling would say that don't choose the life they have and would rather just get on like any other 'normal' person they identify with.

GlasweJen

mikey_bach wrote: »

Universal credit is coming, yes, but it is not replacing all Benefits and Carers Allowance is not one of them.

Also making a straigtforward claim to I.S doesnt warrant a decison on the claim by s SDM.

The OPs partner is a carer, she can claim I.S if the OP isnt working.
If he gives up hs job to help her the he WILL NOT be penalised for I.S purposes.

The OP came on for some help and advice he has received some good advice on here.

Life on benefits isnt easy and its not a choice they will make lightly but if needs must for a while who are we to judge then,
we dont make the legislation the goverment does.

So OP it is yur choice

Of all the benefits the OP receives only carers allowance, child benefit and the wee ones DLA will stay the same. The real money is in the child tax credit with its disability premium and the carers premium of income support.

There is conditionality for universal credit that would see the OPs wife being exempt from seeking work until her child is a certain age (possibly 16 due to his disability but I can't remember off hand), this exemption will not apply to the OP so someone in that house will need to look for 35 hours worth of work a week or the whole household can be sanctioned.

It s easier to top 20 hours up to 35 than it is to get a 35 hour job straight from being unemployed.

mikey_bach

The OPs partner would claim I.S they would get couple rate, carers premium then the Carers Allowance would be deducted
CHB, CTC and DLA would remain the same, CTC possibly more.

Its a few years to U/C will be here, the trainers are starting to be trained

Mark31

With the current WTC situation where if one parent is a carer then the other partner can do less than 24 hours work a week surely with Universal credit then if one parent is a carer then the other parent can still work part time.

Is being a carer wether it for your own family or someone else not included in these proposed 35 hours? That makes little sense to have one doing 35 hours and the carer still doing "caring" hours.

Wouldn't the part time hours and caring hours combine much like it does on the current WTC?

GlasweJen

Child tax credits are different to working tax credits.

To currently claim working tax credit as a 2 parent family you and your wife would need to work 24 hours between you with one of you working at least 16 hours. I'm not aware of a situation where you can work fewer hours and get working tax credit on the grounds of having a disabled child. Currently you don't need to work at all to get child tax credits.

Mark31

GlasweJen wrote: »

Child tax credits are different to working tax credits.

To currently claim working tax credit as a 2 parent family you and your wife would need to work 24 hours between you with one of you working at least 16 hours. I'm not aware of a situation where you can work fewer hours and get working tax credit on the grounds of having a disabled child. Currently you don't need to work at all to get child tax credits.

Apologies, I meant WTC in the post. I thought that if one person was a carer then if the other person does 16-23 hours then that was ok for WTC?

If not i apologise for my mistake

If your joint working hours are less than 24 a week, you can still get Working Tax Credit if one of the following applies:

• one of you is aged 60 or over and working at least 16 hours a week

• one of you is disabled and working at least 16 hours a week

• one of you works at least 16 hours a week and the other person is entitled to Carer's Allowance - even if they don't get any payments because they receive other benefits instead

• one of you works at least 16 hours a week, and the other is 'incapacitated', an in-patient in hospital, or in prison (serving a custodial sentence, or remanded in custody awaiting trial or sentence)

GlasweJen

Thanks, I didn't know of that rule.

wattdallas

FBaby wrote: »

Being able to claim IS, DLA, the disability element of tax credits, cares allowance, and the rest. That's A LOT of money every month that allows this family to only have one parent working 20 hours a week, so that other parent can be a full-time carer with the other still being able to provide significant support and still afford a decent lifestyle.

I'm not begrudging it before anyone starts getting on their high horse, but it is A LOT of support already that the family gets to deal with the disability in every way.

It is not about the disability, it is about the caring and struggling to do so. Most people struggling would say that don't choose the life they have and would rather just get on like any other 'normal' person they identify with.

What rest ? DLA is for my child to buy her bibs wipes,liners for her bed ,special cups,extra nappies because we are only allowed 4 a day.

We also have a mortgage ,we get help with that but still have to pay 370 a month.

Its not alot of money at all ,hubby was earning 38,000 a year .


Fbaby are you saying you could look after my daughter single handed ?

Any ideas how to provide her care while we both work?

GlasweJen

Wattdallas does that 4 a day include her nightwear as well? I get 4 + 1 night and I'm fully grow and can clean myself up! Also the fact you need liners for her bed means her night ones aren't up for the job. Have you got the continence service onto this to see if you can get a better night time nappy and also get more during the day?

Our neighbours little one got a nerve cut during spinal surgery and gets 6 + 1.

LunaLady

GlasweJen wrote: »

Wattdallas does that 4 a day include her nightwear as well? I get 4 + 1 night and I'm fully grow and can clean myself up! Also the fact you need liners for her bed means her night ones aren't up for the job. Have you got the continence service onto this to see if you can get a better night time nappy and also get more during the day?

Our neighbours little one got a nerve cut during spinal surgery and gets 6 + 1.

We are only allowed 4 too - My ds is in nappies all day and night and this is included in the allowance. I have to make up the rest because DS can go through 10 in a day due to his bowel condition (DS is classed as a SWAN child and we have been told if he had a firm DX we might be able to get more, which is just another stick to beat us with)