Carers Allowance Rant

Dunroamin

spaulding82 wrote: »

FB BABY- no FIL didn't make a provisions as to what happens to BIL, we made the decision between us when FIL passed away. And yes FIL has property, but why is that even in question? Are we actually expected to sell FIL's home straight away just for the money? Cause thats not going to happen

No, but you are living there with no money needed for accommodation.

kingfisherblue

Dunroamin wrote: »

Mind you, people always say they had to give up well paid jobs to be carers, it's almost as if no carers ever worked in minimum wage jobs previously.;)

There wasn't a minimum wage when I last worked, but it wasn't a high flying career . Today it would be minimum wage or just above - I worked in a bookshop. I loved my job

princessdon

Again it's that perception of a carer. Eg if my grans condition worsens to a point I need her to live here and care 24/7 I'd do it. IF I claimed carers I'd get nothing other than carers and would be giving up a high paying job. I don't think anyone would begrudge someone in those circumstances.

However, at the moment she doesn't NEED physical care 24/7. Lots of what I do is just being a family member, putting a load of her washing in eith mine, liking up a prescription on way home, taking out for the day or hospital appt etc. I did that even when she was fitter as she didnt drive and was lonely without grandad.

But ... As she gets AA I would hypothetically be able to give up work my fit and heathy none caring husband could stop work. We could then claim CTC X 4, kinship grant, CB X4, income support, SMI, carers, council tax benefit and others. I'd expect some begrudging there - particularly the passport of my OH.

spaulding82

My husband works, he has his own shop and is self employed.
so the household does have money. We aren't in poverty or anything like that.
We are living in FIL house with BIL because its BIL home,he has lived here his entire life and we don't want to uproot him and take away the last thing he has ever known in his life. He wouldn't be able to handle it mentally especially since both of parents have recently passed away.

benefitbaby

spaulding82 wrote: »

But the way I look at my husbands earnings (and he doesn't like that I feel this way) but his money, is just that, HIS money. So if I need anything for myself, I buy it. And so yes it does make me angry that someone on the dole gets more money then I do,when I'm the one who is working 24/7.

Therein lies the difficulty, for benefit purposes you and your husband have a joint income of earnings and CA.

If you were a couple reliant on benefits only you would receive £144.05 per week to live on. I suppose the question is, which is preferable?

nannytone_2

but the person on the dole has to pay for EVERYTHING out of that money.
if you had no other way of paying for anything, then you also would get more.
i'm assuming your BIL gets DLA? part of yjat is for his care needs ... care that you provide. he will also be on either incapacity benefit or ESA.
does all the money provided for his care not get used at all for the household?

SandraScarlett

shegar wrote: »

Well if you had to give up a well paid job to just get £58 per wk, you may think differently..........

I too love my husband , but you also need money to keep going.......I roughly care for my hubby 14 hrs per day 7 days per week, im "on duty " though 24/7.........

Doing all the nursing care, feeding, extra clothes washing, etc etc , that revolves around looking after a wheelchair bound person.........

Do I feel guilty about receiving £58 per week, ? like hell I do...........

Dunroamin wrote: »

I toolook after my husband although I don't claim CA for it. However, as I said earlier, most carers without an income will receive considerably more than $58 pw when the entire benefits package is taken into account.

Nobody should consider CA as a wage for caring but should look at the whole picture.

McKneff wrote: »

If my husband needed me to care for him I would give my well paid job up in a heartbeat, if I had one, I would not expect to be paid for it, even £58 a week, and lets face it, all the other benefits that go along with it, It isnt just £58 a week. Reckon up all the household income including all benefits and then come back and say the same thing.

Blimey, it seems it's all us wives looking after our other halves. I've just been told my forthcoming operation must be delayed as my blood pressure is through the roof, and looking after DH with Alzheimers is probably a contributing factor.

But there's a load of difference between caring for your other half, with whom you've had a loving relationship for nearly 50 years, and caring for your BIL.

My DH and I have always had "our" money, but I appreciate many couples don't and that doesn't make me right and them wrong, we're just different. And it must be a huge shock to the OP to realise how little carers get. As I'm rolling in it with nearly £80 per week State Pension, I, along with other oldies, don't get Carers Allowance, but I think this is definitely an area of benefits, for those of working age, that needs to be looked into further.

OP, are you just leaving your usual home empty, whilst you live with your BIL? I hope things work out for you all, alas death brings out the very best, and the very worst in families. Good Luck.

xx

Dunroamin

princessdon wrote: »

Again it's that perception of a carer. Eg if my grans condition worsens to a point I need her to live here and care 24/7 I'd do it. IF I claimed carers I'd get nothing other than carers and would be giving up a high paying job. I don't think anyone would begrudge someone in those circumstances.

However, at the moment she doesn't NEED physical care 24/7. Lots of what I do is just being a family member, putting a load of her washing in eith mine, liking up a prescription on way home, taking out for the day or hospital appt etc. I did that even when she was fitter as she didnt drive and was lonely without grandad.

But ... As she gets AA I would hypothetically be able to give up work my fit and heathy none caring husband could stop work. We could then claim CTC X 4, kinship grant, CB X4, income support, SMI, carers, council tax benefit and others. I'd expect some begrudging there - particularly the passport of my OH.

That's one of the reasons I wouldn't apply for CA even if I were eligible. Except when my husband's having an exacerbation, most of the caring I do is of the "being around just in case" which counts as caring for CA, which I don't really agree with.

krisskross

SandraScarlett wrote: »

As I'm rolling in it with nearly £80 per week State Pension, I, along with other oldies, don't get Carers Allowance, but I think this is definitely an area of benefits, for those of working age, that needs to be looked into further.

xx

Blimey you are rolling in it...I get £65 a week pension:rotfl:

We only have one bank account, we each take out whatever we need.

Mojisola

spaulding82 wrote: »

But the way I look at my husbands earnings (and he doesn't like that I feel this way) but his money, is just that, HIS money.

That's nothing to do with benefits but is your choice to regard it that way.

When you got married, didn't you make promises about sharing everything in life?