I am totally out of money and am trying to find out if I qualify to claim carers allowance.
From the Government website I think i qualify but trying to contact the CAB is immpossible... spent an hour today and just couldn't get though...
I do have to help with my mother on a daily basis... making tea, food, shopping... helping her get dressed and she can't walk more than a few yards. She is almost housebound.
I am dependant on her for all my mmoney and she claims that I am not either entitled to this allowance and that even if I was... this money would have to be deducted from our total household income which would mean a reduction in our own housing benifit to match... so there would be no point...
Who is right?
I'm just basing this on a website I googled about a minute ago, but I think it doesn't affect housing benefit though it can impact on other benefits.
To even be eligible you need to meet a fair few requirements, so I don't know if it's gonna work out. Maybe your mam is eligible for some form of benefit herself?
The website I looked at. (https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/overview)
I suggest you ring the Benefit Enquiry line on 0800 882200. They won't ask for your details but will be able to tell you in what circumstances you'd be able to claim Carers Allowance.
The easiest way to see if you qualify for the allowance is to just go into the SS office and ask for a claim form. All the qualification details will be on that.
It's probably got minor differences in the various UK regions so you'll need to make inquiries via your own social services office, but the following is based on my own personal experience (NI-based): you need to be available to the person you're caring for at least 30 hours a week, though given the nature of this kind of care, regular hours will be hard to nail down so just say "yes" to that when asked even if you don't technically work that many hours. You need to be providing assistance with tasks the person can't perform adequately themselves, so catering for a housebound person would more than likely qualify you for the allowance.
Once you do so, remember to sign off from Jobseekers and sign on for income support to make up the shortfall - you'll basically be getting not much more than the cash you get on Jobseekers, but if you're on Jobseekers while taking a carers allowance, they still send you on courses every now and then as well as expecting you to do your caring duties (SS pays for the carers allowance as well as running Jobseekers), and I did inquire if this meant they expect you to be in two places at the same time and was told "yes." If you're claiming income support, they don't hassle you and you don't have to sign on, either.
If you get rent and/or rates assistance, this won't be affected by claiming CA.
Also: part of the form requires that you specify when the care you provide started (you have to be providing this care already), so you'll need a firm date for this. Be sure to backdate it and claim for the care you've already provided, as they won't volunteer that you can do this.
Croydon Counci Welfare benefits hotline - freephone telephone advice line: 0800 731 5920. "It only takes a few minutes to check whether you may be entitled to any benefits or, if you are already claiming, that you are getting all the right benefits at the correct level." I doubt that it will 'only take a few minutes' but give it a go!
These people may also be able to help: http://www.carersinfo.org.uk/guide-for-carers-in-croydon/money-matters.html (http://www.carersinfo.org.uk/guide-for-carers-in-croydon/money-matters.html)
Thanks for the info gents... Your the best.
Well mother refused to claim the attendance allowance so that I can claim Carers allowance...
You would think that as we need the money she would be just as keen as myself to try & make a claim.