Ending a Carer Status?

r_i_c

Hi,

Since my caree was admitted to hospital (sadly terminal illness) I must notify the carer unit, which I have now done.

This in effect means the end of my carer status.

This means I should apply for JSA straight away does it not - while I am looking for work?

Please advise.

Many thanks.

pmlindyloo

r_i_c wrote: »

Hi,

Since my caree was admitted to hospital (sadly terminal illness) I must notify the carer unit, which I have now done.

This in effect means the end of my carer status.

This means I should apply for JSA straight away does it not - while I am looking for work?

Please advise.

Many thanks.

I believe that CA has a 'run on' of 4 weeks if the caree goes into hospital as their DLA/PIP/AA stops after 4 weeks. Did they not tell you this?

Have you been claiming an income support 'top up' to your CA? If you haven't then this suggests that other income/capital/savings mean that you are not eligible for means tested benefits. Can you clarify?

r_i_c

pmlindyloo wrote: »

I believe that CA has a 'run on' of 4 weeks if the caree goes into hospital as their DLA/PIP/AA stops after 4 weeks. Did they not tell you this?

Thanks. No, the paperwork just says 'if your care goes into hospital you must inform us'. Perhaps they will be a bit more informative when they reply, but I only posted the letter today - so much to attend to.

Have you been claiming an income support 'top up' to your CA? If you haven't then this suggests that other income/capital/savings mean that you are not eligible for means tested benefits. Can you clarify?

I have not been claiming income support. No-one has told me that I am not eligible for it though.

merlin68

We had an 8 week run on of carers allowance.

pmlindyloo

Whilst you have been receiving CA you would have been receiving National Insurance credits class 1. This means that you are eligible for contribution based JSA.

However, whilst you continue to receive CA you cannot receive both CA and contribution based JSA. They are what are called overlapping benefits. You will receive the higher of the two - the contribution based JSA.

When your CA finishes then you could be entitled to an income based 'top up' to your JSA depending on your personal circumstances. Income based JSA is means tested so any other income/capital/savings would be taken into account.

If you are not eligible for income based JSA then you can continue on the contribution based JSA for 6 months.

If you want to give a few more details of your personal circumstances then we might be able to help further.

pmlindyloo

merlin68 wrote: »

We had an 8 week run on of carers allowance.

According to this:

http://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/health/looking-after-your-health/taking-a-break

the CA ends when the DLA/PIP/AA ends which is after 4 weeks in hospital.

Are you sure that it wasn't the Income Support 'run on' of 8 weeks?

Am happy to be proved wrong though.

I know it can be complicated when someone is in and out of hospital.

merlin68

You might be right, i think it was the carer premium and income support that carried on for 8 weeks.

r_i_c

Thanks. Am apprehensive of everything at the moment - like the walls are closing in - this forum has given me some desperately needed peace of mind. Been caring for my nearly 90 year old mum since her husband passed away about two years ago. She was in a very weakened state and unable to cope, so we worked together as a team eventually, to sort everything out.

She grew stronger, healthier, more self-confident, then a little more than a week ago she was struck down by a late appendicitis. At first we had no idea of what was going on, was this an ulcer, violent indigestion 'reflux', gall stones? But it was soon diagnosed and an antibiotic treatment was given, which didn't stop the infection spreading. She refused anaesthetic (surgery) because her doctor had told her a decade ago that elderly people often do not survive anaesthetics, which is true. But the medication did nothing. I have never seen anyone deteriorate so rapidly in front of my eyes, and I standing helplessly by, after all that we had been through together so very recently. The hospital is now expecting her to pass away at any moment. Last Thursday she was in her kitchen baking cakes.

Shock, disbelief. This was my mum.

Was a supply teacher before I became a carer. Have by no means come to terms with the tragedy which has overtaken us :-|

Studebacher_Hoch

Sorry to hear about that r_i_c.

As pmlindyloo said, Carer's Allowance will stop if the caree is in hospital for more than 28 days (either in one go or in periods separated by 28 days or less, which get added together) because the qualifying benefit (DLA/AA/PIP) stops getting paid.

If you're still getting CA when the caree dies then there is a run on of 8 weeks after the caree's death - as long as you still meet the other conditions of entitlement (you're below the earnings limit, not in full-time education, habitually resident in the UK etc.)

Carer's Allowance can qualify you for income support, but only if you and your partner's (if applicable) savings and income are low enough.

r_i_c

Thank you. My dear mother passed away peacefully, early this morning. She was admitted to hospital 9 days ago.

richard9991

My understanding NI Credits is they only go towards state retirement pension not JSA and to get contribution JSA you would have had to worked for an employer in the 2 qualifying tax years