Benefits and leaving work

davidh71

Hoping someone may be able to help. We have 2 disabled children and a toddler who is currently going through diagnosis for Autism. I currently work full time and my wife cares for the children. As this is getting more and more difficult and stressful (I am currently signed off work with Stress) I am considering the possibility of giving up work to help at home full time. I believe I would be entitled to carers allowance immediately but am not sure what would happen with other benefits, in particular Tax Credits and Housing Benefit? Would I be entitled to these straight away or not?

benefitbaby

Carers Allowance is claimable if one of the children receives DLA at the middle or higher rate of the care component. This is not menas tested.

Child Tax Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support are all means-tested so your entitlement would be based on the income you and your OH have from work, carers allowance etc.

If you cease work and CA is claimed then you could also claim income support to top-up the CA. If any income support is awarded then you would receive maximum CTC, HB and CTS.

Visit www.entitledto.co.uk and have a play with the benefit calculator.

joolsybools

Can you consider some respite care too?

davidh71

Thank you Benefitbaby. My concern is that I may not be entitled to some benefits straight away if I quit work. I've never been out of work before but believe you have to wait a period of time before you can claim some benefits if you leave work by choice? Two of our children receive DLA at the middle or higher rate of the care component so I would be able to claim carers allowance in addition to my wife.

benefitbaby

davidh71 wrote: »

Thank you Benefitbaby. My concern is that I may not be entitled to some benefits straight away if I quit work. I've never been out of work before but believe you have to wait a period of time before you can claim some benefits if you leave work by choice?

This only applies to jobseekers allowance so no problem for you. Although do bear in mind that benefit claims can take a little while to be processed so you will need to budget for a few weeks.

Two of our children receive DLA at the middle or higher rate of the care component so I would be able to claim carers allowance in addition to my wife.

Yes, you claim CA for one child, your wife claims for the other.

davidh71

Thank you Joolsybools. We are trying to get some help from Social Services at the moment - but they are not making it very easy!! Always amazes my how much you have to fight for everything when you have disabled children.

nannytone_2

social service provision is very hit and miss. in my area they are really good, but through experience i know this isnt always the case. just stand your corner and fight for your rights!

joolsybools

davidh71 wrote: »

Thank you Joolsybools. We are trying to get some help from Social Services at the moment - but they are not making it very easy!! Always amazes my how much you have to fight for everything when you have disabled children.

I can imagine!

Are there any local charities that offer that service too? Might be an alternative to SS.

bodmil

How about you attempt part time work to begin with to see if that provides you with enough hours to care for your family, or a less stressful job? You may find the stress of being on a lower income even harder to handle?

joolsybools

bodmil wrote: »

How about you attempt part time work to begin with to see if that provides you with enough hours to care for your family, or a less stressful job? You may find the stress of being on a lower income even harder to handle?

Good point actually, some companies have HR policies that deal with these sort of situations, have you spoken to anyone in HR?

davidh71

I am in touch with HR at work and they are very supportive, so yes - there are other options we are looking at. I have always worked so quitting altogether would be a big step and something I may struggle with in itself, though financially we would not be much worse off at all (very much to my surprise), despite me being in a reasonably well paid job . My priority at the moment has to be my families (and my own) health and I feel being available full time to support my wife and children may be the best option for us.