Benefits
You may be entitled to specific benefits as a carer, who is looking after a relative or friend (adult or child), who is living with a disability, illness or the effects of old age.
Your CASS Outreach Worker or Carers Support Worker will be able to advise on appropriate benefits for you.
Carers Allowance
- 16 or older
- Not earning more than £100 a week after certain deductions have been made (e.g. income tax)
- Not in full time education (21 hours or more a week)
- Satisfy UK residence, presence and immigration rules
This benefit is not means tested, but is classed as taxable income. You can get the benefit even if you have never worked. However if the person you care for with the qualifying benefit (e.g. DLA) gets certain means tested benefits and a carer who lives with them starts to claim Carers Allowance, the means tested benefit claimed by the cared for may be reduced.
Amount: £53.90 per week (2010 rates)
More information
To claim: phone the Benefits Enquiry Line: 0800 882 200
To get advice: phone CarersLine: 0808 8087777
More information
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you're a lone parent (until the child is of a certain age)
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you're registered sick or disabled
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you're a student and either a lone parent or disabled
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you're caring for someone who's sick or elderly
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you’re pregnant and your baby is due within the next 11 weeks, or you have given birth recently and your baby was born within the last 15 weeks
and the following apply:
- your savings are below £16,000
More information
Talk to an advisor at the Citizen’s Advice Bureau www.citizensadvice.org.uk/index/getadvice.htm#searchbox
You may be entitled to Savings Credit if you:
have a partner, at least one of you must be 65 or over to get the Savings Credit.
You may still get the Savings Credit even if the money you have coming in is up to about:
These amounts may be more if you are disabled, have caring responsibilities or certain housing costs, such as mortgage interest payments.
More information:
You may be able to claim if:
Depends on circumstances (amount may be reduced if you have savings of a certain level).
The Social Fund and other sources of funding may also be available (such as budgeting loans and funeral grants) depending upon circumstances.
More information:
Carer's Credit
It is a National Insurance credit which helps Carers build up qualifying years for the basic State Pension and additional State Pension. It is not a benefit payment.
You may qualify if:
- You care for one or more disabled people for a total of 20 hours or more per week. Each person that is cared for must receive: Disability Living Allowance (middle or highest rate Care component); Attendance Allowance; Constant Attendance Allowance or if the person being cared for does not receive one of the above benefits, (In the latter case carers must provide a Care Certificate signed by a health or social care professional.) A copy of the Carer Certificate is included in the Carer’s Credit claim pack.
More information:
www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/MoneyMatters/DG_10038111
Textphone: 0845 604 5312
If you are actively seeking work as well as caring.
More information:
To claim Employment and Support Allowance or Jobseeker’s Allowance contact:
More information
www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCreditsandChildBenefit/index.htm
If more information on any of the above contact your local CASS Outreach Worker.
NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/moneyandlegal/carersbenefits/Pages/Overview.aspx
www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/carerslives/updates/Documents/means-tested-benefits.pdf
Turn2us: www.turn2us.org.uk turn2us is a charity helping people to find out about the charitable grants and state benefits they may be entitled to.
Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance is not means tested and there are no national insurance contributions tests, and it is paid in addition to other benefits in most cases.
The claimant has to fill out a self assessment form and may require help from a professional to do this. If the claimant is a client of Social Care and Health, a member of staff such as a Social Worker or a Welfare Benefits Information Officer can help. Alternatively other organisations like CASS, Age UK or the Citizens Advice Bureau can help. Additional medical information may also be required.
The claimant is eligible if:
- They are over 65
- They are living alone or with others
- They require help and assistance
- They have experienced difficulties through an illness or disability for at least the previous six months (prior to the claim being made).
- They are terminally ill and therefore do not have to satisfy the 6 month qualifying period.
Two rates of payment:
Attendance Allowance is not payable to those who stay in hospital for more that 28 days.
Disability Living Allowance is tax free, not means tested and there are no national insurance contribution tests. It is paid in addition to any earnings or other income received. It is almost always paid in full on top of Social Security Benefits or Tax Credits.
Disability Living Allowance comprises of two parts:
- A Care Component - if the claimant needs help looking after themselves or supervision to keep safe.
- A Mobility Component – if the claimant can’t walk or find it very hard to walk or need help getting around.
Some people are entitled to receive just one component, while others may get both.
The Care Component and the Mobility Component are paid at different rates depending on how the disability affects the claimant.
Receipt of Disability Living Allowance may increase the amount of other benefits e.g. Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.
Rates of payment:
Access to Department for Work and Pensions
Changes to DWP Visiting and Partnership Referrals from 23rd April, 2012
The DWP Visiting Service will continue to conduct home visits only and accept referrals from our Partner organisations.
This service is available to customers who are vulnerable or have complex needs and are unable to access the Departments services through any other channel. Customers who are able to complete their business via the phone, Internet or have a representative who can do so should be signposted to the appropriate Department. Please refer to the DWP factsheet .
From the 23rd April, 2012 all referrals for a home visit will be managed by a National Booking Centre working to a standard operating model. A National referral form has been designed with full instructions of the referral process for use from this date.
If you have any queries regarding this new process please contact Colin Smith Tel: 01922 728466, Wendy Beighton Tel: 01332 612317, Graham Nye 0121 6263142 or Fran Henderson Tel: 01332 612324 to discuss the matter further.
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Booking Centre Location: |
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FAX number: |
02380 713674 |
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Email Address: In email subject heading box enter: Customer’s postcode – surname – restricted * |
