Carers money and nursery.

northerntwo1

I am hoping for some help for a family I visited today. Their child has disabilities and the maternal grandma claims carers for the child as she has the child for more than 35 hours a week. The parents felt that putting the child with a nursery given the needs wasn't appropriate, so grandma gave up work. She has the child 3 days a week and respite overnight on a Friday until approx noon as the parents get little sleep.

The child has been offered a nursery place in April at a specialist communication nursery, so this means grandma won't be caring for those 15 hours a week. I understand she needs to inform them of this? Is this correct. I have searched the forum but did not find a similar question.

[Deleted User]

to receive carers allowance 35 hours of care must be provided,although means many things inc for example supervision,could gran provide the additional time during the week?

northerntwo1

Possibly, we worked it out that some weeks more than 35 hours are needed, but others less due to dads shifts, as the child will go straight to nursery. Then during school holidays it will be far more, if child is ill or needs physio, hospital appts. It will never be less than 30 hours, but not always 35.

northerntwo1

I need to go, so apologies if my disappearance appears rude, but I will check back tomorrow. Thank you

Mojisola

northerntwo1 wrote: »

It will never be less than 30 hours, but not always 35.

It won't be too hard to add in those extra few hours. Even if she's at the house with one of the parents, it can still count.

helentay_2

Mojisola wrote: »

It won't be too hard to add in those extra few hours. Even if she's at the house with one of the parents, it can still count.

It has to be a minimum 0f 35 hours every week!!!!

Carers Allowance is quite honestly one big fiddle for some people.

The claim form is a joke.

'Do you provide at least 35 hours of care every week' Oh Yes!
Then the person who receives the care answers 'Do you receive at least 35 hours of care a week' Oh Yes!

That's it, no checking, nothing - £58 a week!
In this case if gran can only account for 30 hours in a week, you can bet your last £1 that the extra 5 hours will be found somehow or if not who is going to know anyhow? 30 or 35??

Mojisola

Mojisola wrote: »

It won't be too hard to add in those extra few hours. Even if she's at the house with one of the parents, it can still count.

helentay wrote: »

It has to be a minimum 0f 35 hours every week!!!!

That's what I said. If there are some weeks where grandma would look after the child alone for 30 hours, there's no reason why she shouldn't come to the house for another five hours and help out with the child. She doesn't have to have sole care of the child.

kingfisherblue

helentay wrote: »

It has to be a minimum 0f 35 hours every week!!!!

Carers Allowance is quite honestly one big fiddle for some people.

The claim form is a joke.

'Do you provide at least 35 hours of care every week' Oh Yes!
Then the person who receives the care answers 'Do you receive at least 35 hours of care a week' Oh Yes!

That's it, no checking, nothing - £58 a week!
In this case if gran can only account for 30 hours in a week, you can bet your last £1 that the extra 5 hours will be found somehow or if not who is going to know anyhow? 30 or 35??

Mojisola did not say that the gran could claim CA and do less than 35 hours a week, she merely pointed out that it is easy to do a few more hours to make up the time, even if parents are there as well.

As for no checking, I agree that it can lead to abuse of the system, but many carers do far more than 35 hours a week, quite legitimately. I know I do. I'm not sure how someone would check, though.

Perhaps gran could keep a diary of hours spent caring (and this can include time on the phone arranging appointments, collecting prescriptions, etc, even if she is not with the child). This would show the family whether she does indeed give 35 hours a week, and if not, gran should inform the CA unit and give up the benefit.

[Deleted User]

helentay wrote: »

It has to be a minimum 0f 35 hours every week!!!!

Carers Allowance is quite honestly one big fiddle for some people.

The claim form is a joke.

'Do you provide at least 35 hours of care every week' Oh Yes!
Then the person who receives the care answers 'Do you receive at least 35 hours of care a week' Oh Yes!

That's it, no checking, nothing - £58 a week!
In this case if gran can only account for 30 hours in a week, you can bet your last £1 that the extra 5 hours will be found somehow or if not who is going to know anyhow? 30 or 35??

so no mention from you of those who provide round the clock care 365 days a year for £58? about 30p an hour and save the state hundreds of £`s week in week out !
who cares if the carer in this case undershoots by an hour or two,i for one dont !

Ms_Chocaholic

As I understand it, the 35 hours does not need to be the actual time spent caring for the child, it can include collecting prescriptions etc so if grandma does this then this will count towards the hours too

LunaLady

woodbine wrote: »

so no mention from you of those who provide round the clock care 365 days a year for £58? about 30p an hour and save the state hundreds of £`s week in week out !
who cares if the carer in this case undershoots by an hour or two,i for one dont !

Agreed.

When I claimed CA I know I worked 10 times as hard as I have in any employment. Before I became a carer I was earning £17,000 a year.

The Gran gave up her job to care for the child. We don't know what she sacrificed for that.