Very unfair that Carers Allowance is not paid to pensioners

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Just these 💐 for you today Primrose53. You must be feeling exhausted, stressed and anxious. Life pulls the rug from under our feet and it’s hard to comprehend that plans for the future you thought you had are changed irrevocably. Hugs for you.

Sorry primrose, I meant attendance allowance - was distracted

Katyj

Oh so sorry Primrose you are having a terrible time as is your DH. Please reach out to as many people as possible including age Uk.
As others have said I’m sure you’ll be able to claim AA. It is then up to you how you spend this money.
Also. Look into direct payments. These are payments made to you, or a nominated person to help pay for your DH care.
We had this for my dad. It means that you’re able to choose your own carer for your DH. The person nominated receives payment from your DH. At least then you’d be able to choose the carer and stipulate the hours they work.
Sorry I’m not much good at explaining.Age UK will be able to help. Wishing you both all the best

We also applied for and were awarded direct payments which allowed us to pay for a private carer.

Your local council should be able to help you with the direct payments and selection of a carer who works directly and is self employed, so no worries with NI etc.

If we were paid a decent state pension, rather than something resembling minimum wage, maybe this would help many.

Georgesgran

I’m not unsympathetic Primrose I know from previous posts that you’ve really been through the mill due to your DH’s stroke and hospitalization. You sound very frustrated with your situation Primrose and perhaps it will take time to adjust to things and accept that the future is not what you had planned. (I speak from personal experience).

I’m sort of wondering what you expect the carers to do, considering they have strict guidelines to follow? What reason did you find only 2 any good, with enough reason to complain about the others. They aren’t nurses, cleaners, or cooks but carers - their job is simply to care for your DH. Unless you too are disabled, it’s expected that you are able to help your DH too, (I used to work for my LA’s home help service). A single person would probably welcome lunch and tea time visits, as social contact, to help toilet and to make a cup of tea, but I guess you’ve found that unnecessary. My friend advised her Mum to have her main meal, something simple usually bought in for the carer to present at lunchtime rather than in the evening. It’s unfortunate that times are so flexible, but sometimes that’s the nature of the beast and often location plays a big part if carers have a number of people to attend to there. It sounds as though you are having ‘free service’ for six weeks, but you might then want to approach a private agency where you could stipulate times.

I hope things soon settle down into some sort of routine that meets your DH’s needs. Please don’t think I’m criticizing.
Like other posters, I hope your DH is in receipt of AA or in the process of applying for it.

According to the Manager I can use the time they are supposed to be caring for my husband to take a shower or get dressed or just have a coffee. I am not expected to help them. Although I do get all his wash gear etc ready, clean towels and clothes. I also clean up the mess they leave behind.

I don’t expect them to cook, clean or nurse.

Just these 💐 for you today Primrose53. You must be feeling exhausted, stressed and anxious. Life pulls the rug from under our feet and it’s hard to comprehend that plans for the future you thought you had are changed irrevocably. Hugs for you.

The post discharge care package your husband is receiving now will be supervised already by a social worker Primrose53, so I think he or she should be your first port of call to discuss what is going to happen when your husband’s six week package ends, if he is receiving active rehabilitation it may be possible to continue it for longer. The social worker will arrange for a reassessment at the end of the six weeks for him, and help you navigate the options. They also hold information about care agencies, and direct payment systems.
I agree with Kitty Lester, if you get in touch with Age UK before meeting the social worker, they will be really helpful to assist you through the process too, and will ensure you are getting everything your husband is entitled to. We used them for my Mum, we were allocated a specific advisor, and she was excellent, she helped word the claims to best effect too..

Georgesgran

There is no CA granfromafar for carers in receipt of DWPension. Primrose has stated that several times through this thread.
However, there has been some good advice and suggestions offered here.

I know that, I was agreeing with her!

Jaxjacky

But your husband can get Attendance Allowance and pension Primrose

We hope he will get AA. My point is why should you not be entitled to CA when you reach State Pension age? i think you need it even more then and it is much harder as you age. I am fit to drop most bedtimes.

BlueBelle

I think you are missing out on allowances Primrose ask your GP to send you a social worker you will be surprised at what you can get to help you both in money and in appliances
Please don’t be so down on the carers they are rushing though traffic to get from placement to a placement it’s not an easy job they are only allowed a certain amount of time fr each so perhaps do have to rush
Six Weeks free care really is a generous offer for most people

I think you are understandably very ‘down’ at the recent change of events and you may need some help yourself Life is not a bowl of cherries when illness takes over but help is out there you just need to find it and that can be difficult
Good luck Primrose

All I expect is for them to assist us for the time they are supposed to be here. The other night one woman stayed for 8 minutes.

Whatever I think would be really useful, they say they are not allowed to do. Tidy the bed …. No. Give medication …. No. Use a piece of equipment to move to another room ….. no. Even though instruction book says it can be used.

I would LOVE to ring the Manager and say the service is great but it really isn’t.

There is no CA granfromafar for carers in receipt of DWPension. Primrose has stated that several times through this thread.
However, there has been some good advice and suggestions offered here.

Are people put in touch with advisors or given leaflets about help available when they are discharged from hospital? It would make sense to make sure that they (and/or their relatives) are fully aware of what they can claim before they go home. It must be stressful enough without having to navigate complicated systems too.

Maybe Primrose 53 has already applied for Attendance Allowance for her husband, as you can only apply for Carer's Allowance once AA is in place, which is why she knows she is not entitled to it. I am in a similar situation, so found this out too. Good advice from others saying AgeUk are helpful in sorting benefits out. Sending hugs, Primrose.

But your husband can get Attendance Allowance and pension Primrose

Sorry I meant to say attendance allowance!

Iam64

It’s good to hear your husband is home and I’m sorry to read things are tough for both of you. As others have advised, Carers Allowance is the one to apply for.
Age Concern can be very helpful in identifying any other support you may find useful.
It’s exhausting on many levels. Try to look after yourself as well

Can’t get Carers Allowance if you receive State Pension!

CocoPops

I wonder if the carers have a supply of disposable over shoes to wear which would protect your carpets from mud?

They are not allowed to wear those - already suggested that - because they could be a slip hazard!

I’ve written to my MSP telling her I don’t qualify for disability allowance as I had my stroke after I retired, nor do I qualify forPIP . it’s really not fair , my friend tongue in cheek said I timed my stroke all wrong 🤬🤬however I do qualify for Attendance Allowance and 6 hrs a week direct payments. Get yourself a social worker who will help you with these benefits fight for what’s rightly yours - good luck

It’s good to hear your husband is home and I’m sorry to read things are tough for both of you. As others have advised, Carers Allowance is the one to apply for.
Age Concern can be very helpful in identifying any other support you may find useful.
It’s exhausting on many levels. Try to look after yourself as well

I'm so sorry that your husband is so poorly, I hope he continues to improve. It's such a huge change in both your lives.
When mil was on palliative care we applied for carer's allowance and got it very quickly. We were able to find a carer privately and although expensive she was absolutely amazing. She worked round us rather than the other way round mil really enjoyed her company. Sil also had private carer's for her husband who had a devastating stroke. He had to have carers for 20 years but she also found private arrangements worked best for her. I know not everyone has the money to do this but I think this is why we save something for our old age, it's not to pass money on to children, it's to spend on our care when we're unable to look after ourselves.
We found our carer by recommendation, because the pay in care homes is poor there are people who prefer the flexibility and working conditions of self employment.

Primrose We applied for Attendance Allowance for Mum a year ago, which was granted.

She has Dementia, and most of the questions seem to revolve around physical ability, so we thought it may not be granted. It was, and was backdated to her diagnosis.

So I am quite certain your DH will be entitled to it.

I wish you both well, as it must be so exhausting

Following on from BlueBelle's post. I thinkbyou can now self refer to Adult Social Carer.

Oh so sorry Primrose you are having a terrible time as is your DH. Please reach out to as many people as possible including age Uk.
As others have said I’m sure you’ll be able to claim AA. It is then up to you how you spend this money.
Also. Look into direct payments. These are payments made to you, or a nominated person to help pay for your DH care.
We had this for my dad. It means that you’re able to choose your own carer for your DH. The person nominated receives payment from your DH. At least then you’d be able to choose the carer and stipulate the hours they work.
Sorry I’m not much good at explaining.Age UK will be able to help. Wishing you both all the best

Can I just add as Granniesunite said my Dads carers became his friends and loved him they would do anything for him within their means he really looked forward to their visits Most were from other countries and at first he was scared they wouldn’t understand him but they were wonderful with him two or three even came to his funeral A young Portuguese man was a real friend and went over and above when he could

I do wish you good luck I m sure you are still in shock with all the changes

crazyH

Primrose - I don’t know much about these things but isn’t there something called Disability Living Allowance ? Glad you have complained about those carers. There are always bad apples. Hopefully, they will be replaced by good caring people.
Sorry to hear about your husband.

DLA was the precursor of PIP and is granted to the disabled person, who must be of working age when they are given it.

I deduce that Primroses's DH is over retirement age, so the benefit he is entitled to is Attendance Allowance. Given his disability he should get night time as well as day time rates.

However you have to have been disabled for 6 months before you can receive this benefit,, although you can apply for it well in advance.

Please contact AgeUk and ask them to help you navigate the system and to apply for benefits. The Stroke Association will also help you.

You must be floundering and exhausted.