MY GP says i cannot be classified as a carer because I don’t receive carers allowance.
I run my business from home and look after my mother and father as well, so I don’t qualify for carers allowance. Is this correct?
Thanks for any help
You are a carer. The definition of a carer is someone who provides unrecognised (often) and unpaid care to a disabled family member or friend who requires a lot of support.
Hi Lisa
Caring for person(s) more than 35 hours per week is classed as being a carer/care giver.
However, if they don’t have benefits for care then you don’t get carers allowance payment.
To receive carers allowance the person(s) you care for must be receiving PIP or attendance allowance type of benefits. If they do not receive benefits for their care then you cannot register as a carer and receive carers allowance.
Carers allowance is taxable.
You can be a carer if the person is not receiving benefit payments for their care, but you don’t qualify for carers allowance payments.
Also if you are caring for someone, you have entitlements at work, which I am not aware of myself because I gave up work to care for my mother, you will need to check out what that is but it is things like a reasonable allowance of time off to chaperone to appointments.
Do contact Social Services for care needs assessments for them and a carer needs assessment for yourself.
There are many reasons why a family carer may not get paid Carers Allowance but they are still carers nonetheless.
If they or the person they care for does not meet the criteria
If they are a full time student
If they are a pensioner receiving their state pension
If they earn more than the threshold of £132 per week
Check out the Carers UK factsheet on Carers Allowance here https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-benefits/carers-allowance
At a meeting of various bodies, I discovered that doctors get paid a “premium” for every patient who is a carer, so it is in their interests for you to be registered as a carer! The doctor might be unaware of this, but the Practice Manager should know and make sure all staff identify carers. The Royal College of General Practitioners used to have a good section online about carers, but I checked this week and it’s now been divided up, which is a real shame, and in their online training section. Nowhere near as easy to read for anyone in a hurry in my view.
There are several definitions of what is a carer, and most of them are incomplete because they are specific to a purpose. I’ve no doubt I’ll miss some but here are a few at least…
For benefits - Carers Allowance and the Universal Credit recognition of a carer - it’s that you have to provide at least 35 hours of care a week. This is determined by the award of specific benefits such as Disability Living Allowance at the middle rate of care or higher for a child or very elderly person, Attendance Allowance for anyone over 65 who is not receiving one of the other benefits, or Personal Independence Payment for care needs.
BUT - if you’re caring for 20 hours or over (up to 34 hours 59 minutes and 59 seconds) a week, you can claim Carers Credits to boost your Pension entitlement when the time comes.
Social Care - an adult caring for another adult who has care needs. This replaced a broader legal definition. However, parents and children who are carers are recognised in the Children and Families Act 2014.
The definition we used at our carers centre (still do) is: someone who assists another person who could not manage without that help. It’s very broad but I’ve always been of the opinion that if you tighten up the definition too much, people will exclude themselves, Most carers don’t realise how much they do for the people they care for. They just do it.
So, basically, if you look after anyone - in any way - and they can’t manage without your help, you’re in!
Why make it easy when you can make it clear as mud!
Thanks for the simplification of the definitions Charles