Carers allowance age restrictions

Benefits, finances and funding
1

I’m pretty sure I know the answer which in our case is no.

My wife and I are in our 80s and care 24/7 for our 50 year old severely disabled daughter (cerebral palsy) On the 11th Feb my wife contacted the dreaded norovirus and has been confined to her bed. Today she is now feeling a little better, but has not eaten since Monday and will not be able to carry out her caring duties today. I also have the virus,but not quite so bad so I have been able to look after our daughter.
However as my daughter has to wear incontinance pads I had to call in Social services who in turn handed case over to an outsourced company. I have carried out all the manual handling leaving the provided carer to put pads on my daughter, time taken approx 30 minutes a day plus of course travel time.
We have now been advised we have to pay for this service. As my wife and I are on state pension do we have to pay the full amount for this service? Of course my daughter recieves her full benefits, including motabillity allowance.
Advice on this matter would be much appreciated.

Harry

2

Hi Harry.

A sorry state of affairs to say the very least.

( 2 senior citizens in their early 80s caring full time for their daughter … as if age was a factor in CarerLand ???

I take my hat off to the pair of you … and to the thousands of others in a similar position ! )

Costs ?

Allied to both Needs and Carers Assessments through your LA ?

Needs … an extract :

Getting a care needs assessment - Social care and support guide - NHS

__

Paying for care

You’ll generally be expected to pay toward the cost of social care.

If the assessment identifies you need help, you will have a financial assessment (means test) to see if the council will pay towards it. This will be arranged for you.

Carers ?

Much the same … a financial assessment.

No much help but … first step would be the Needs Assessment through your LA.

Time from applying to a decision ?

The " Book " says … a reasonable time ( Say one month ) … in reality , a real post code lottery out there.

As an added extra , an Online Benefits Calculator … to ensure that ALL benefits and allowances out there are being claimed :

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Just one amongst others to check on … Council Tax … discount / disregard ?

Attendance Allowance ???

A 100-1 shot … CHC / NHS Continuing Healthcare / NHS Nursing Funded Care … ever considered / mentioned by anyone ?

No doubt , you are on the radar of AGE UK ???

If so , mention this to them … they carry some real weight … where it’s needed most !!!

Charity ?

That word disappeared decades ago !!!

3

Thanks for your reply Chris, very much as I expected. Maybe next time I will tell the people responsible that our daughter will have to go into respite care for a week. We’ve not had much to do with Social Services as we just carry one with our lives. Apart from 6 years ago when I got the local government Ombudsman involved. which was then resolved to our satifaction.

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support-and-advice/new-to-the-forum/hi-i-m-new-here-and-still-trying-to-find-my-way-around-the-s-21824?p=295100#p295100

Harry

4

Thanks Harry.

AGE UK … at least make contact and offer to put the kettle on ?

Age UK services in your area

Just enter your post code.

All three of you need that special someone to keep an eye on you.

It’s NOT charity , it’s ESSENTIAL in this Sad New World.
( Even an alarm device … AGE UK would only be to willing to advise ! )

At least , give it some serious thought ?
( And , don’t forget that calculator ! )

5

Harry
It’s not you or your wife who have to pay, if indeed anything is due.
They should make a financial assessment based only on your daughter’s benefits and income as it was her needing and using the service.
By the sound of her disabilities I would have thought she is due care paid for by the NHS, called CHC
Social services will only be talking about their care for social needs. The line is often blurred and it can take time to sort out who pays for what BUT no money for your daughters care should come from you or your wife.

This is a good time to ask for care reviews for both your daughter and you and your wife too and to get better help in place for the future

Good luck
MrsA

6

MrsA thanks for your input. I am now looking making enquiries regarding the financing of care in the home. approx 6 years ago my daughter was recieving Direct Payments, but we wrer having serious problems with the local Learning Difficulties team. After getting the Local Government Ombudsman involved these problems where resolved in our favour. At that point we stopped the Direct payments as we found they where causing us considerable problems and stress. However this raises a question as to whether could Direct payments be used to pay for the type of care we require at the moment and obviously in the future.

Harry

7

Hi Harry, I too gave up managing Direct Payments for my son with LD. I told the LA that I wanted his money to be managed by someone else, but instead he went back onto Commissioned Care, a nightmare ever since.

Go back to the LA and insist on an EMERGENCY assessment.

I’m absolutely horrified that you are getting no support, and especially that at your age you are doing all the manual handling.

This is now the time to investigate long term options for your daughter. My son now lives away from home, I’ve supported him to make his new place a real home from home, and can now enjoy his very regular visits home, knowing that whatever happens to me, he has a home of his own.

8

Just to let all of you know the problem appears to have resolved itself, as I’ve no heard from Social services regarding a financial assessment.

Harry