Newbie Carer Says Hi

New to Carers Connect
1

Hi all,

I have spent a few years as a voluntary advisor in the consumer reclaim forums (PPI, CPP etc.) but I am now having to pack that in, as I have a wife and daughter who have both become ‘formally registered’ as disabled over the past few years - and I have needed to start taking advice instead of giving it. I hope that Karma will favour me ! :unsure:

We eventually got PIP for my wife after an initial travesty of an Atos assessment awarded her zero points - and that’s when I realised I was gonna need to get my rear in gear if we were gonna be battling with the DWP for the rest of our lives. I got Carer’s Allowance for her following the Reconsideration - and I damned well think I deserved it, if only for being the guy who did all the research & paperwork that was involved !!! :woohoo:

Next - our daughter who has learning disabilities and was receiving lower level DLA had to transfer to PIP when she reached 16. You guessed it - she got zero points - so we had to to a Mandatory Reconsideration for her, followed by an appeal, which finally got her the basic PIP lower level of both Daily Living and Mobility. Yay !!! :mrgreen:

By this time, I was getting the hang of it, and because my wife’s and my daughter’s disabilities were totally different, my wife qualified as my daughter’s Carer and was awarded Carer’s Allowance. I have now retired and am receiving State Pension & Pension Credit - so the Pension Credit has been reduced because of the CA that my wife and I are now both receiving, and in effect we now both receive the princely sum of £36 each per week for caring for ourselves.

Ne’ertheless, I count my blessings as I am still in reasonable health - but there will surely come a day when I need care and no longer can care for my wife who in turn cares for our daughter. So I need to look into this - and that’s why I’m here.

2

Hi Bill … welcome to the canteen … and to CarerLand … our world.

Others will be alone to extend their welcome … extremely quiet on the forum for the past few days.

Got over the initial shock ?

Entering our world does come with a huge price tag yet to be paid … in monies and health … and disbelief !

I’ll just mention a few of the basics.

Benefits and finances … all benefits being claimed ?

An online benefits calculator for that financial m.o.t.:

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

Housing … owner occupied … tenant … social or btl ?

If social , any problems down the line with " Succession ? "

On the caring side … upto to date Needs / Carers Assessments done through your local LA ?

Needs :
Getting a social care needs assessment - NHS

Carers :
Carer's assessment | Carers UK

" What happens when I’m gone ? " … a common question , especially for lone carers , but one that always tends to rise to the surface ?

There is no answer beyond one’s need to do all they can to lessen the impact … they will never know if they succeeded ?

Always bear in mind the most important person … you … a delicate balance ?

That should keep you going for a while.

Others will , no doubt , be along to help and advise on the caring side.

3

Hi Bill and welcome
The fact you have got this far with your sense of humour AND health intact bodes well. Sounds like you’ve already got a lot of relevent experience so do share where you can.

Kr
MrsA

4

Thanks muchly and everso to Chris & Mrs A for your welcomes,

Yes as Chris suggests, it comes as a shock when you fall backwards through the doors into this ‘last chance saloon’ - and hope you’re in good hands ! Thanks for your listing of the various help avenues, Chris - “When I called out for another drink - the waiter brought a tray !” Bless you, guv’nor.

@ Mrs A - I’ve already ‘surfed’ a few of the disability forums to ‘get where I am today’ - and I have seen some desperately sad posts & threads - it’s like WW 1 out there in this present economic climate, innit ? So a bit of humour sometimes helps - if we can laugh with each other and not at each other - as so often happens on t’interweb.

As I have said, we’re actually doin’ alright at the moment - but every year seems to bring a new struggle, doesn’t it ? I do have a non-urgent issue with PIP-related CA, which I hope to post out there in the main forum soon - hopefully when I have got a couple of ongoing college bullying issues resolved for my learning-disabled daughter.

Maybe see you guys L8R down there on the ‘shop floor’ - and thanks again !

Bill.

5

Your welcome , Bill.

Tray … not a keg ?

Mmmm … a Londonism … at least those have not quite died out yet even if most of us old folk got out when we could ?

Tin hat and Lee Enfield elsewhere ?

Even many without their daily can of bully beef !

On 'ere , one needs a nuclear bomb shelter at times !

Shop floor ?

That’s for workers … you’ll find us in the bargain basement … on £ 1.81 per hour at best !

6

Hah - cheers, Chris !

I guess you’re younger than me - I was quoting from that golden oldie “A Whiter Shade of Pale” - but indeed a keg or a large jug (with 2 straws for the laydeez) would have done me just fine. I’m a West Londoner myself, but my wife is the daughter of a genuwine EastEnder.

Ectually, old chap - we ‘emigrated’ to Bonnie Scotland in 1990 - and although we lost some friends, we wouldn’t (couldn’t) go back there to live. It’s a jungle there now, innit ?

I was in the ATC (KIds RAF Cadets) and fired a few .303 rounds at Pirbright back in the day. Precious memories - but I never got issued with a tin hat. I might need one in the years to come !

As for £1.81 in the Bargain Basement - THAT’s one of the issues I intend to post about in the Bargain Basement ! I suspect that it may have a thread or several devoted to it already - so I’ll probably be there later, if you come lookin’ for me !

7

Mmmmm … Route 66 beckons for me this Friday.

Long road that one … trouble is , seeing the end of it on that horizon !

West London ?

Me … spawned in Greenford , shipped out to Souff Tott’nam when 6 months old … new name , new manor.

Might 'ave landed up as a Ranger instead of an O.

Keep in touch Bill … plenty of room for cynics on this forum !

8

Greenford. I spent a while refilling fag machines up thereabouts. I spent a few years after that working in the burgeoning video industry from Highbury, then Enfield. I might even have been the barsteward who installed your TV before it blew up a week later !

See ya around, guv’nor !

9

Greenford ?

Only been back there once … 2001 … to see where I spent my first six months.

Trouble was , the rest of the manor was closed !