Carers Allowance

[katynewbie]

Does anyone know if you can claim this if the person you are caring for already has Attendance Allowance? Have looked at loads of DWP stuff and still not clear!

[katynewbie]

[Lishka]

Think so, but a call to your Neighbourhood Office or CAB even, will clear it up I reckon.

Lish

[katynewbie]

Cheers Lish, will check it out asap

K x

[rugbypost]

I always thought that the person who claims the attendance allowance pays the carer that's what the money is for to pay for help or services. My wife claimed it for a 12 month after breast cancer she went to 3 doctors boards and a private doctor to the house. They said she should learn to do things with her left arm such as make a cup of tea and a sandwich while was at work thats when I threw the doctor  and the woman from the D.H.A.P. out of the house Wrote a strong letter to local MP and told them to keep it 70 years of paying tax between the o/h and myself  and SXXT IS YOUR THANKS >:(

[katynewbie]

Thanks for your input.

[green lily]

I think carers allowance is paid if you have to leave work to care for someone. There is an age element in there i think. My brother who has cancer lives with me and his attendance allowance pays for my wonder woman help 2x a week. I don't think I'm eligible for carers allowance because I'm too old -but I might be able to get attendance allowance in my own right :)

[grawrc]

My understanding, which may be either inaccurate, out-of-date or both, is that carer's allowance is independent of attendance allowance. It is means tested and also linked to the number of hours and level of care required.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Caringforsomeone/DG_10012525

[brownowl23]

Grawc your understainding is totally correct. it dependson hours of care and whether the carer is working.

My sister cant get it for helpign with my parents as she herself works and my dad cant get it as he gets more than £100 per week pension.

[Lishka]

Anne, that link is great and is surely going to be a good help to Katy.

"Carer's Allowance can be claimed by more than one person in a household, such as a couple caring for each other." - this was the anomaly I heard mention of this last week on the radio. :o

Katy, from that link you'll see that you can apply on-line. Go for it!

Cheers! Lish

[caroline7758]

You need to be careful, because  the person getting AA may be getting extra money added to their pension or housing benefit if they get it, if they are living alone and nobody is getting carer's allowance for them. and they may lose this if someone is getting carer's allowance for them.

You need to be caring for 35 hrs a week and not earning more than a certain amount in order to get CA.

CAB will do a full benefit check for you, but you may need the other person's authorisation if you want theirs checked.