School Leaver Claiming CA

laudan

pmlindyloo wrote: »

What concerns me is that she is claiming CA for the period between leaving school and starting further education/training - as the new leaving age dictates.

Why would she be doing this?

Who is caring for the person at the moment? Who will be caring for them afterwards?

Has anyone checked that the person being cared for isn't losing any benefits now that someone will be getting Carer's Allowance for them?

Has your daughter always been a carer for this person?

My daughter has always helped care for this person & a other family member.

The person she cares for lives with someone else who also cares for this person. Anyone who is in this situation knows it is a 24 hour job, they cant claim CA as getting State Pension.
The other person life is currently "on hold " as they are very restricted by not being able to leave the person alone.

Since my daughter had more time she really stepped up the other carer has had more free time to there self & a holiday (normally I would take leave from my work to care during this time)

No one is loosing any benefits.

I am extremely proud & grateful for what my daughter has done.

Thanks to everyone who helped.

sulkisu

laudan wrote: »

My daughter has always helped care for this person & a other family member.

The person she cares for lives with someone else who also cares for this person. Anyone who is in this situation knows it is a 24 hour job, they cant claim CA as getting State Pension.
The other person life is currently "on hold " as they are very restricted by not being able to leave the person alone.

Since my daughter had more time she really stepped up the other carer has had more free time to there self & a holiday (normally I would take leave from my work to care during this time)

No one is loosing any benefits.

I am extremely proud & grateful for what my daughter has done.

Thanks to everyone who helped.

On the one hand, a 16 year old who wants to care for someone, should be applauded - but for some reason, this whole scenario doesn't sound quite right to me. I just can't put a finger on why.

KxMx

I don't doubt OP is genuine, past posts show several Q's about CA including one last year to see if her Son can claim it between College and Uni.

Seems like everyone has been in a difficult situation for some time, you have my sympathy.

Indie_Kid

10pence wrote: »

Guessing from the reply she'll be caring for someone else, remember her claiming CA could affect that person's benefits, especially if they're in receipt of severe disability premium or even reduce the 'Care' component.

The care component won't be affected.

Mojisola

laudan wrote: »

The person she cares for lives with someone else who also cares for this person. Anyone who is in this situation knows it is a 24 hour job, they cant claim CA as getting State Pension.

If you're on a pension but fulfil the requirements for CA, you may still be able to get extra money (an 'underlying entitlement to CA). It's worth checking out.

FBaby

I do find the concept of one expecting to receive benefit to provide some relief to a family member caring full time for a couple of month quite disturbing really. What happen to teenagers helping family around during the holidays and being grateful for keeping busy and keeping company in exchange of a bit of pocket money?

My grand mother lived with us when I was a teenager and it was expected that I would provide additional help during the holidays. It is at this time that I got to know my grand mother best, got to see her as a person rather than just an older figure. I enjoyed her company and was grateful for the little things she gave me there and then. Even then it would have felt wrong to receive what in essence is no different to an income to do what I saw as my duty and pleasure.

Elvisia

If the money is there then I see no reason why she shouldn't be entitled to claim it. I have been a carer since I was 13 and it can be a thankless task, if I had been given benefits for dealing what I had to I would have been very grateful and frankly from a psychological point of view to have someone understand what I had been doing would have meant the world. Being a proper carer is far more than just helping around the house. Having to get up in the middle of the night to clear up mess or or make a judgment call on whether to call out a doctor/ambulance is far more than just getting to know a grandparent.

Back to your question: I would appeal it but I suspect the rules are she's still considered in school. They don't pay out CA in the university holidays either even though you could have 2 months off with no school and plenty of caring. However if you write a letter explaining that the caring has been continuing and she's not spent any time at school you might get a a positive response. They go by their rules which I think they keep in a handbook hidden in a vault somewhere, as they're difficult to get hold of.

KxMx

I can see both sides here- if money is tight then all the love or sense of duty in the world doesn't help when you are caring.

I am reminded of a discussion I had here with someone once.

My mother was smart enough to continue her education but had to leave school at 15 to work so she could contribute to the family.

Another poster was shocked and said his parents wouldn't have dreamed of not supporting him, with books etc.

He didn't seem to realise my grandparent simply didn't have the money to support my mother with things like books, and needed her bringing in a wage asap.

I know when my Granddad was alive and various members of the family did stuff for him and my Nan, he would insist on "making it right" with them from his Attendance Allowance. None of us wanted to take the money but it made him happy so we did.

FBaby

If the money is there then I see no reason why she shouldn't be entitled to claim it. I have been a carer since I was 13 and it can be a thankless task, if I had been given benefits for dealing what I had to I would have been very grateful and frankly from a psychological point of view to have someone understand what I had been doing would have meant the world. Being a proper carer is far more than just helping around the house.

Do you really think CA was intended to provide an income for someone who takes on this responsibility in between other activities? CA was intended to support people who are not able to work/study because of their caring responsibilities, not the other way around.

I totally agree that caring for someone is very tough, i don't agree that CA is compensation for the fact that it is hard though. In this case, it would seem the child will take on that duty to relieve someone else doing it full time but can't claim CA, which is quite different to taking on the task full-time in the first place.

Indie_Kid

It could be argued that the OP's child could not work during the summer because they're caring for someone.