Good morning| - my name is Stephen and would welcome some advice (if possible) to help me through an increasingly difficult time.
My mother is 93 and is severely sight disabled. She is housebound but shuffles her way around with a ‘walker frame’ ok.
About 5 years ago I gave up my full time job in education for a 3.5 day per week job that would give me some breathing space to help mum. She is now at the stage where her memory is failing and cannot do without my help. I am considering asking my employer if I can drop down to 3 days per week.
I know that I cannot claim Carers Allowance but through my research on the net this morning I see there is something called Carer Credit which could help me to preserve my pension contributions but I’m not sure if I would be eligible for it. If anyone has knowledge of this I would be really grateful. Thank you.
Hi Stephen … welcome to an extremely quiet forum as I type.
Carers Credit ?
EntitledTo web site … best of the bunch ?
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What is Carer’s Credit ?
Carer’s Credit is available to people who provide care for one or more disabled person(s) for a total of 20 hours or more each week, but do not currently receive Carer’s Allowance. You will automatically be getting Carer’s Credits if you already get Carer’s Allowance, or get Child Benefit for a child under the age of 12.
The credit will help to protect your National Insurance record to ensure there are no gaps from having to undertake caring responsibilities. There are two qualifying routes to be able to get Carer’s Credit, either through the disabled person being entitled to a qualifying benefit or through a certification route (Care Certificate).
Carer’s Credit counts towards entitlement to Retirement Pension and State Second Pension. It also counts towards entitlement to bereavement benefits.
Can I get Carer’s Credit ?
To qualify you must be caring for 20 hours or more a week for one or more people who are in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit. These are:
Attendance Allowance,
Disability Living Allowance (middle or higher rate care component),
Constant Attendance Allowance
Where there is no qualifying benefit it will be possible to claim on the basis of a signed certificate from a health or social care professional to confirm that the level of care being provided is appropriate.
People who get Income Support as a carer but who do not get Carers Allowance also qualify. Approved foster carers also qualify.
How do I claim Carer’s Credit ?
You will automatically get Carer’s Credit if you are :
a parent with a child aged 11 or under for whom you claim Child Benefit. If your partner is the Child Benefit claimant but already has sufficient national insurance contributions/credits for the tax year you may be able to get a Carer’s Credit instead of them. As the partner of a Child Benefit claimant you need to apply for Carer’s Credit – it will not be awarded automatically.
Claiming Income Support as a carer.
However if you are caring for 20 hours or more a week but not getting Carer’s Allowance, and are not in one of the above two groups, you must apply for Carer’s Credit.
On the caring side , a new thread will guide you through the maze of outside support services which are available :
https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support-and-advice/all-about-caring/home-care-services-a-guide-from-the-money-advice-service-web-site-37984
( Needs / carers assessments for starters ! )
Hi Stephen,
Welcome to the forum.
Have you checked your state pension online? Dropping another half day might well mean you are still paying enough National Insurance to qualify for the full pension anyway.
Melly1
Hi Chris - thank you so much for that. Brilliant - I will have a good look through the details. Stephen
Your welcome.
Hi Stephen,
Is it just you looking after Mum? Have you got any other help in the way of carers etc?
How do you feel about giving up full time work and are you confident that you could return when Mum is no longer with you. Will you want to/need to?
If my questions are intrusive or of no importance at the moment, please forgive. Just trying to discover whether there is anything else we can help with.
My own Mum was suffering from increasing loss of sight in her last years. She found it very hard and I didn’t know how to help apart from talking watches and a few other things.
KR