Carers allowance, I work, am I entitled?

Morglin

Not as far as I know, but if your BF is getting means tested benefits, then he gets extra money, known as a premium, (assuming he is on medium or high rate Care DLA), because no one is getting CA in respect of him.

Other than that, as you are both working, I Can't think of any other benefit payable.


Carers get a raw deal in this country, and that's unlikely to change anytime soon.


Lin.

Errata

Who cares for your boyfriend when he's at full time work? What care needs does he have during his working hours?

dandelionclock30

I_Love_Shoes wrote: »

I earn more than £100 a week, is there no way I will be entitled to get anything?
Just another way the government screws over those of us who want to work and not be scroungers! If I worked part time or was on benefits I would be entitled to this, yet I go out and work all day and then I have the added work of looking after my boyfriend and get no financial help even though I have less free time to myself because of this. I love him to bits but it is stressful sometimes and this would really help us!

You work full time as does he and he gets DLA!!! (Text removed by MSE Forum Team) Do you think you might be a bit greedy?. He should pay for his own bandages or get them on prescrption. He has been given money for these in the form of DLA. He made the choices to buy a house and a car and not put his health first.
Who are you to call people on benefits scroungers when you are more greedy and grasping yourself? You made the choice to look after him, and why should the state pay for you when you have a decent income and is paying for him already?
Carers allowance is for people who have no or low income because they are caring for over 35 hours per week.

marliepanda

Are you actually spending 35 hours caring for him, or just spending time with your boyfriend with occasional caring? He cannot need care full time at the weekend as he works, with no caring at his work.

You spending money shouldn't be an issue. Carers allowance is to cover the fact a carer will not be able to work and earn money, not to buy things for the person they are caring for.

he is given money by the government to cover the extra costs of his disability. It sounds like he would rather use those to fix his new house up than buy essentials. His DLA is not for that, it is for bandages and things he requires due to his disability.

SnooksNJ

I_Love_Shoes wrote: »

I earn more than £100 a week, is there no way I will be entitled to get anything?
Just another way the government screws over those of us who want to work and not be scroungers! If I worked part time or was on benefits I would be entitled to this, yet I go out and work all day and then I have the added work of looking after my boyfriend and get no financial help even though I have less free time to myself because of this. I love him to bits but it is stressful sometimes and this would really help us!

Since you love him to bits, why not focus on making him comfortable and not being upset that you can't get any taxpayer money for doing what any person does for a loved one. Love involved sacrifice and you take the good with the bad.

duchy

You chose a boyfriend with a disability (one he copes with working fulltime) and are now complaining the relationship takes up some of your free time -so you want the tax payer to give you money for this ?

O-kaaaaay

My son is 22 and has a disability -if he squired a girlfriend who worked fulltime but was looking for money for spending time with him ..... I know what I'd be saying to him !!

Gigglepig

I think this is a bit harsh. From the OP's point of view, the boyfriend needs support, OP puts in the hours as a free carer, so they did not then presumably the system would need to pick up the slack. So OP is saving the state money by working AND caring.

I understand that the system is based on low income, but can see both sides. Hypothetically, if someone did caring for 35+ hrs AND pushes themselves to works full time, why should they be supported less than someone who does caring for 35+ hrs and choses NOT to work full time? In some scanarios, no or low income does not just result from doing 35+ hrs caring, but also from how the person manages to and decides to spend the rest of the hours in their week. So I understand OP's frustration and the point she is trying to make. if she jacked in her job and continued with "just" the 35+ hrs caring she would get more support, but OP is working hard to do both and the system does not reward this extra effort.

NYM

I'm so sorry to go off topic...but what is CMT ?

Poppie68

You boyfriend already gets money to help provide for his needs in the form of his DLA, this should be used to purchase his bandages. Does your boyfriend really require a carer if he is able to work fulltime?

marliepanda

I'm not sure she is saving the state money by caring for free. If the boyfriend is on the appropriate level of care DLA then in her absence he would need to use that to pay for a carer. Those who have disability premiums lose that element if some claims carers. It's all one pot of money, designed for their care.