Leaving work to care for wife.

TheMooma

Hi, I have a question, if I have to leave my job to care for my disabled wife (full time) will I get penalised when claiming benefits (care allowance and IS) in anyway. I have not left my job yet but I am off sick at the moment due to stresses with working my job full time and caring for wife at the same time which I cannot continue doing because of my own health too. My wife is on ESA and DLA.

Many Thanks
TheMooma

incorrect_2

I had to leave my job a few years ago to become a carer and everything was pretty smoothly done I have to say. Your wife has dla but she has to get at least middle rate of the care component I believe for you to claim care allowance. I do not claim get IS or any other benefit though as the care allowance is all I am able to claim.

TheMooma

incorrect wrote: »

I had to leave my job a few years ago to become a carer and everything was pretty smoothly done I have to say. Your wife has dla but she has to get at least middle rate of the care component I believe for you to claim care allowance. I do not claim get IS or any other benefit though as the care allowance is all I am able to claim.

Thanks "Incorrect" for your quick reply. DLA are looking at it at the moment for the higher rate DLA. I do not really want to quit my job and hoping that I can get care in for her, but if I have to quit my job then I will. How comes that they will not let you claim IS? IS is more than carers "for a couple" than the care allowance of £58. Would they not use IS to top up your carer's allowance?

incorrect_2

I dont get the IS as my husband gets IB, DLA and he gets a VERY small amount of IS for us so, I get the care allowance. This allows us to get HB and CT benefit along with help for dentaal treatment prescriptions etc. As I said it really was pretty straightforward at the time when I claimed the care allowance the IS took a little longer.

Heycock

I'm in the process of doing the same for my wife. We're both 56. Giving up work to become a carer is not a problem for DWP. When you make your claim make sure you provide documentation to prove she needs care. You need to show she needs at least 35 hours care. Not difficult if she needs care in the night as well as day.
For you to get CA your loved one must be in receipt of mid or high rate care component DLA as stated before. You can carry on working and still get CA but you are limited to £100 a week after stoppages and it impacts on other benefits. You may be better off not working. Mentally.
You may also be entitled to Housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support if you fall below a certain income level. (And DLA is not counted as income). Go to www.direct.gov.uk and use the online benefit advisor. It's brilliant and you can try different scenarios.

Also www.carersuk.org
Good luck..thinking of you.:beer:

TheMooma

Thank you Incorrect. I do not know how IS works really but looking at it, it seems to be a top up to the benefits you have that are means tested (as DLA is not means tested).

Hey Heycock, I have proven that my wife needs 35+ hours a week care but I do not know if I am going to have to care for her full time of not at the moment, but either way she needs the care. She cannot be left alone. As for being better off on benefits totally or work some (maybe like part time) I do not know at the moment but I have never (personally) had to claim benefits before. Mind you tell a lie, I think that I claimed the dole for a few months when I was 20, waayyy back. i'm nearly 40 now. Anyway Early days.

Heycock

I've never claimed before either but we both know that whatever you claim you will be working harder for it than most people in employed work. You have NO need to worry whether you're doing the right thing benefit wise. Your priority is to your wife and you will deserve every penny you get.

Remember there is nothing in UK law to force you to look after her. By doing so, you are saving the taxpayer thousands, ultimately hundreds of thousands of pounds in care costs. You are truly ENTITLED to whatever you can legally get.

For myself I was working a 70+ hour week when my wife was diagnosed. I've cut that down to 55 hours which is the minimum you can get away with in my business and make money, albeit it at considerably less than minimum wage.

Its too much with all the caring on top. If you crack up trying to do it all, you'll be no use to your wife.
All the best.

TheMooma

Heycock wrote: »

For myself I was working a 70+ hour week when my wife was diagnosed. I've cut that down to 55 hours which is the minimum you can get away with in my business and make money, albeit it at considerably less than minimum wage.

Its too much with all the caring on top. If you crack up trying to do it all, you'll be no use to your wife.
All the best.

I know the feeling. I have been off for 4 days at the moment and I didn't realise how much care she really needs. Have I been moaned at? yes, there is a law out there, in sickness and in health, till death us do part. Im still learning at this moment in time. The hardway :idea: i do not know what is harder this or the job. I dont want to give up my job but i do want to get the right care but the future looks grim for that. at the moment.

Mojisola

Caring 24/7 is a very difficult job. It can change your relationship and seriously impact on your own health.

Has your wife had an assessment from Social Services to see if they can help at all? If not, is there anyone else who could claim CA and care for her while you are work so that you can keep your job? You will be better off financially and in other ways if you can stay at work as long as you are not getting up a lot in the night.

Ask SS for a Carer's Assessment for yourself. This should include an emergency plan for what would happen to your wife if you were suddenly not around - accident or such like.

TheMooma

Hi Mojusila, thanks. Yes with some kind of services at the moment but not often at the moment. They cant be there as much as I would like them to be.. at the moment.

Heycock

There's also personalised funding to consider but it's means tested. Not sure of the figures but I think over 13k in the bank means no funding. that's something to check with social services and relates to what Mojisola was saying about assessments. Particularly the carers assessment. Also ask your GP about any local schemes for carers. Carers are slowly but surely starting to be considered. Early days but things ARE moving though not to the same degree in each area.