Carers Allowance & Income support

Benefits, finances and funding
1

Hello Everyone i hope your well i’m actually new to this brilliant site and wish id found it sooner

I’m just looking for some help please because im all new to caring and have been my partners full time Carer now since september 2019

What’s different about our situation is that my partner was the full time worker and i was the stay at home father with the children after swapping roles around 5 years ago. Unfortunately my partner now is in constant daily agony with her issues and has been signed off work long term since October 2019.

We have been living off SSP and tax credits etc but her SSP is due to run out after 28 weeks which is around early May 2020 when it stops along with her working Tax Credits. We will then be losing quite a large chunk of money and with 4 children its going to be even tougher than now

But What i’m actually just trying to find out is would it be possible for me to claim Income Support to help support us both ? She was only granted full Maximum PIP on both counts this week. I have also now applied for Carers allowance this week so thats going to be another 6 weeks + to get a answer on that so any advice would be fantastic .

We are also on the old legacy benefits system and also claiming housing and council tax benefits if that makes any difference ?

Thanks In Advance

2

Hi David … welcome to an extremely quiet forum as I type.

Almost a grand tour of the present zoo of benefits and allowances ?

And , not yet to be infected by Universal Credit on your manor ?

That’s one bullet dodged … for now.

Okay , a two pronged attack.

Firstly , time to crunch some numbers … an online benefits calculator :

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

That will give you a general idea of what’s available given your circumstances … feel free to change
any of the parameters to achieve answers to " What if " scenarios.

If , as I suspect , confusion then reigns with no one solution achievable , the CAB would be my recommendation :

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

They will sort out the wheat from the chaff.

( Could well be that you and your partner would find the scenario that produces the most monies is unworkable ? )

Council Tax … all points to a discount being payable :

Apply for a Council Tax discount - GOV.UK

Housing benefit … increasing income will result in a reduction in HB.

Out of curiosity , how big is THE GAP currently … rent paid less HB received ?

Tenants ?

If social , tenancy in joint names ?

Anything on the caring side we can help with … perhaps needs and carer assessments ?

Enough from me , you have some number crunching to do.

3

I feel like I am stuck on repeat today with my posts! Agree with Chris - Contact your local Citizens Advice who will do a Benefits check for you = unfortunately as this is a change in circumstances you may be moved onto UC but CitA can help with all the options and what is best/ what you are entitled to.

4

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I feel like I am stuck on repeat today with my posts!

Try … CHC / NHS Continuing Healthcare … main thread :

Nowadays , I just whistle and the keyboard does the rest.

CAB … off forum tip offs … many are struggling to cope with workloads … surprise , surprise ?

( Even had another food bank contact me off forum as their CAB is overwhelmed. )

My recommendation would be is to initiate contact online through their main site.

5

So much depends on local services. In the New Forest where I live there is a disability advice service which offers face to face interviews in various towns and villages.Those new to the caring community need to do a bit of research about local services, they might just have a pleasant surprise.