Part-time carer, allowance & council tax questions

Furious_Meatball

Hello,

Nice to meet you all

My long-term partner is thinking about becoming a carer due to her Mother being ill.

Her current thoughts are that she could care for her mother Monday to Friday and my partners’ sister would then take over and look after her at the weekend (this idea is subject to change, though).

So, basically, my partner would be away from home 5 days a week and then be back home 2 days at the weekend.

I have a few questions…

1. Would taking care of her mother 5 days a week be considered part-time caring? If so, what is a part time carers allowance?
2. If she considered part-time working while staying at her mother’s, how would this impact any allowance?
3. What council tax would she have to pay here (being at home only 2 days a week) and also being there (at her mother’s home, 5 days a week)?
4. Would my council tax qualify for 25% single person's discount, living alone 5 days a week?

We are not married but have lived together for 13 years.

Any thoughts would be very much welcome.

Thank you!

calcotti

1) There is no such thing as a part time carer’s allowance.

Eligibility criteria for Carer’s Allowance are here.
https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility

2) See the earnings limit in the link above.

3) She is only responsible for Council Tax in a property where she normally resides. If she is staying with mum to provide care but maintains a home with you as her partner then I think she is still likely to be treated as normally living at your address. That would be a matter for the local authority to decide.

4) Not if she is treated as normally living with you. If she is treated as normally living at mum’s then you could get 25% discount and as a carer she could possibly be disregarded as an occupant at mum’s.

Note that before considering whether or not to apply for Carer’s Allowance she should check what benefits mum gets. If she gets any benefits (such as Pension Credit) which include a Severe Disability Premium the SDP will be lost if CA is claimed.

Alice_Holt

1)  If her mother is in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit (e.g. AA, PIP), and she cares for 35 hrs a week;
2)  If in receipt of carers allowance she can have earnings below £128 pw and still retain CA
3) Should not change current CT situation (AFAIK)
4)  No 

https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/carers-allowance/

Your partner claiming CA may impact on her mother's benefits, this needs to be checked before her claiming CA.

Does your partner / you as a couple claim any benefits atm? 

Consider Carers Credits (for NI contributions) if CA not possible.


Edit: I now await the entrance of Dale72 pointing an accusing post at both calcotti and myself as "randoms", and "potential fantasist[s] hiding behind a silly moniker"   

Brie

Small twist - what happens if you partner or her sister want to go on holiday?  Who looks after mom then? 

Sounds like sister has a M-F obligation (full time job?) so she might not want to also work every single weekend as well.  Likewise your partner will need a break at some point so does sister take holidays from work to cover the entire week? 

It might be a good idea to look into an outside agency being available regularly 1 day a week - maybe on Mondays to take over from sister while partner is heading to mom's house??  

And if your partner is claiming carer's allowance (which frankly is a pittance) her sister cannot also claim.  

calcotti

Obviously we know nothing about mum's circumstances and finances but perhaps she should have a needs assessment (if she hasn't had one already).
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/getting-a-needs-assessment/
https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/practical-support/getting-care-and-support/needs-assessment

born_again

@Furious_Meatball.

Sage advice above.

A tale for you both to think on.
I have previously been a carer for my mother over 4 years. Which went from just me (still working full time) visiting every day, to 4 paid for carers visits a day & me everyday (still working full time). To the point where even then it was not enough. So she went into a home.

I am now full time carer for my wife, thankfully she gets PIP. It is not a easy job, when you get woken pretty much every night for toilet visits to make sure she is safe. Then have to help during the day, cook meals, clean etc. All to start over again the next day. It is a thankless task & you are the brunt of every frustration they have.
Even trips out are not fun like they should be. As you are always on edge, in case anything happens.
All that for £67.60 a week. 
No disrespect to paid for carers as they do a great job. But they get paid far more & get to walk away.

If your partner thinks they can do that then come home at a weekend and do what they need at your home without a break, they are deluding themselves. Caring for anyone is a draining role, even when you love & want the best for them.
If it was not for taking our dogs out for a walk and talking to others. I would have cracked long ago. 

Robbie64

^

When Carer's Allowance (then called Invalid Care Allowance) was first introduced in 1976 the rate of payment was set at 60% of a Category A Retirement Pension. For many years it remained at 60% until the value was allowed to wither as the way annual benefit increases were calculated changed. Had it still been set at 60% it would be £82.56 per week. Still not great but at least it acknowledges that in order to get the benefit a person must be caring for someone full time. The 60% rate equalled other non-contibutory benefits which were paid in circumstances where it was not possible, or expected, for the person claiming the benefit to work full time.

In Scotland Carer's Allowance is topped up to bring the weekly amount to that of Jobseekers Allowance. Again, still not enough, but it's better than the derisory amount paid by the DWP.