I have been my wife’s carer for several years now, but unofficially, by which I mean I don’t get any carer’s benefits. We applied for Universal Credit six months ago to help pay our rent. We live on this and ESA with some help from family when necessary. My wife has applied for PIP but the assessment went badly and the assessor stopped the phone call after about an hour because she wasn’t getting the information she needed from my wife. She suggested I should become my wife’s appointee so that I can speak on her behalf in a future assessment. We have been interviewed for this appointee thing and are waiting for confirmation so we can continue with the PIP application.
I am 57 and have been unemployed for over 20 years, and my Job Centre coach has taken it easy with me because he knows my situation as a carer. I could only accept a job working at home because my wife needs me here. Now it’s been 6 months I’m told they’re going to put me on a Restart scheme. I’m afraid they’re going to push me into work that will mean I’m unable to care for my wife. If we get PIP and Carer’s Allowance I understand I won’t be expected to look for work, but the process of applying is taking a long time. Is there anything I can do as a carer to avoid being pushed into a job outside the home?
Hi Paul.
I don’t know how much this will be, but with PIP when applying you can fill it in for someone and with the assessment, make sure they use your phone number and explain to DWP that your wife has communication issues and will need you as their appointee where they will contact yourself directly, same for Universal Credit. I hope this helps!
You need to request a Visiting Officer to do the form. They should have offered this immediately, in my view, when your wife was struggling. (It’s a brilliant service that they never tell anyone about!).
I never knew about this either, good to know!! I usually just use the Carer’s centre that we have in our borough
Thank you both. The PIP application is going slowly, we are still waiting for the appointee confirmation but I feel it is in hand. My immediate concern is the Restart situation, it’s now been set up and I have an appointment with an “employment adviser” on 10th April.
Once the PIP application is approved you should be eligible for Carers Allowance, and then not required to look for work. Maybe ask for a delay until the PIP application has gone through?
Once the Visiting Officer had been here the application was finalised within 2 weeks for my son.
If a VO did the form it would probably not depend on appointeeship?
Hi bowlingbun, yes we are hoping for PIP and Carers Allowance but I’m worried about being sent out to work before all that comes through (assuming it does!). We’ve already filled in the form and after that we had the assessment by phone which didn’t go well. My job coach at the job centre has been understanding of my situation and taking it easy on me, with no real pressure to look for work, but after 6 months of this I’m being handed over to the Restart scheme, which is supposed to offer me more “support” but I believe will just start forcing me to apply for jobs. I’ve read scary reports about what some of these Restart people are like.
Then the Restart section need to talk to the assessment people and the appointee section. Any delay is being caused by DWP and not by you. Had they referred your wife to a Visiting Officer when she was struggling it would all have been sorted already!
Once that’s sorted and if PIP is approved, you should be able to claim Carer’s Allowance, which could ease the pressure a bit. Maybe also speak with your work coach again and explain you’re still waiting on that, and that your caring duties haven’t changed.