Community care officer costs

Have you tried Borrowbox and your library?
If you can't get to the library they may have an outreach offer.

If the help is important to you and your finances have already been assessed I think I'd cut back on the craft purchases, books and music etc for a while and see exactly how useful the council service is.

I hope you find a way through. I don't really understand how the various benefits interlace and I'm not sure what you have been trying to get sorted for so long. I thought that community care assistants helped with everyday tasks but I haven't heard of a community care officer assistant.

Why not contact your local branch of Age UK? Every branch has an advice line. Explain your problem. They may be able to help you get an advocate through one of their volunteers. They may also have some craft and other social groups you could join.

Are you in the UK, MyLo? If so, I suggest you contact your local Advocacy Service: www.voiceability.org/ or www.theadvocacypeople.org.uk/
As a retired Social Worker with over 10 years experience of working in Health and Social Care helping people and their families with support care and benefits I do not recognise the service you describe but I know social workers are leaving the profession. in droves and many of their tasks are being delegated to unqualified people as a result. In Scotalnd care workers are required to be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council but know that used not to be the case in England. We also have a requirement to provide an Advocacy Service locally in Scotland. By all means PM me if you'd like to.

PS and NB! - there should be NO CHARGE for the advocacy service in the UK . Your Local authority in Scotland at least can help you contact the service for your area.

I don't think the "community care officer assistant" is an advocacy service though Seadragon - maybe the OP could explain?

Yes I am from the UK. I think I’ve gotten confused about the name but it’s some sort of community care officer person.
The council have cut back on a lot of community services and are seriously thinking of closing the library, to give you an idea even the local school needs repairs they can’t afford and it’s going to be knocked down. Craft services in the area are run by businesses and are not free, and are for children. The council are charging for everything and even the grass cutting service is now something like £250 and the brown bin is something like £50. I can’t drive and rely on taxis because I can’t walk far and it costs £15 to get anywhere nearby in my local area and back. Maybe I’ve chosen the wrong area to live in. I don’t spend a lot on these things only a few pounds each at charity shops. The disability payment on top of my universal credit gives me a basic standard of living. I can’t see how I can afford to give it up to pay for care costs. How would I buy anything I needed if I had to spend it all on care? I feel miserable about it all.

Is this person more of a personal assistant? PA is unfortunately a chargeable service and means tested just as any support is from Adult Social care. I would get in touch with citizens advice and ask who provides Advocacy service in your area or contact the services as mentioned in Sea dragon's posts.

I don’t really understand some of this… grass cutting service £250 why don’t you get an odd job man/gardener /teenager ?

They won’t knock a school down and just leave the kids standing there will be alternatives in place

What’s your brown bin for? We pay an annual fee for our gardening bin but you don’t sound like a gardener!!

Don’t you get a free bus pass for being disabled or over retirement age I don’t drive either, but don’t use taxis

If it’s a PA you are needing then Notagranny is right there
will be a fee incurred but that s what your attendance allowance is for surely

I think so.
I don’t see why they think I can pay for it. I need that money for other costs. But I don’t know if they can make exceptions for that, which is my question.

BlueBelle

I don’t really understand some of this… grass cutting service £250 why don’t you get an odd job man/gardener /teenager ?

They won’t knock a school down and just leave the kids standing there will be alternatives in place

What’s your brown bin for? We pay an annual fee for our gardening bin but you don’t sound like a gardener!!

Don’t you get a free bus pass for being disabled or over retirement age I don’t drive either, but don’t use taxis

If it’s a PA you are needing then Notagranny is right there
will be a fee incurred but that s what your attendance allowance is for surely

I garden in raised beds but I won’t break my back over gardening, They require the grass to be cut and de-weeded regularly but charge for the bins to take the trimmings away. I’ve got conditions which mean I can’t use public transport.
I think they are a personal assistant. I know my conditions are more complex than usual. It’s not attendance allowance that I get and they do say it’s what it’s for but universal credit isn’t enough on its own. If there’s no way around having to pay for it, then that really depresses me. It’s so miserable,

My rent is covered. I think my universal credit is just over £700
Gas and electricity £104
Phone £20
Cooker Insurance £5
Food and toiletries £380
Delivery pass £7 (am disabled no way around this)
Dog food £45
= £565 (rounded up)
I’ve not got any insurance. So I put away £100 towards her accounts
My universal credit is about £700 I think.
So I have £40 left. Does not go far. I buy everything from charity shops. I only get a visitor once a week so my dog is my only company. It’s worrying. Don’t see how I can manage to give up my payment for care.

I really think a financial "check up" with someone who knows is a good idea.
Maybe Age UK as M0nica suggests?

Sorry let me explain again. My housing element on universal credit is only something like £200? It’s ridiculous. So I use most of my disability payment to cover the rest of my rent

No its just over £300 for a one bed which is what I have

I have been offered to go and live in a residential care placement I might just go into that because it’s easier I’ll think about it

You seem very confused about your income and outgoings MyLo. I don’t know how much you get in disability payments but they are intended to cover the increased expenses you have as a result of being disabled, for instance the taxis you use and any help you have to pay for.

I assume you are being offered some care, which you might have to pay for, but you don’t have to accept that if you feel you don’t need it.

If you take up the offer of a residential care placement, I assume you will have to give up your dog? Do think very carefully about that because I think he/she is very important to you?

If you want to minimise your expenditure, it would be worth your while looking online for free or cheap craft items. There are various local initiatives or you could try like Freecycle or Gumtree. Red Cross and Oxfam have online stores.

If you don't receive attendance allowance is that due to not being pension age. Does PIP apply to you? Think you need to have a benefit check. Citizens Advice is helpful for checking income entitlement. Also, sounds like the "officer assistant" is a community carer. How was this recommended? Did a social worker, O.T., GP make a referral for that? Do you have any family or a good friend who can perhaps help you navigate the complex systems.

Unfortunately as I see every day at work the affordability calculation towards funding costs for social care frequently need to go to appeal. Many people on here have given very good signposting to excellent charities like AGE UK

You will need to think about cutting back on your crafts etc. Use the local library for books, ours is great and will order books free of charge.

Notagranyet1234

Unfortunately as I see every day at work the affordability calculation towards funding costs for social care frequently need to go to appeal. Many people on here have given very good signposting to excellent charities like AGE UK

That’s what I was asking if there was a way to appeal it how can I cover my costs if I’m giving that money to them , how do I start the process

mabon1

You will need to think about cutting back on your crafts etc. Use the local library for books, ours is great and will order books free of charge.

I will look into getting things for free but I have £40 spare for everything as I said I’m not spending loads on hobbies Its charity shop stuff but I don’t want to have to cut that out

It seems you have £40 left from your Universal Credit but what about your disability payments, are you willing to say how much they are?

I don’t think you have been told about what you might have to pay for care, if you actually need it, have you? And do you actually need any care? Are you managing ok as you are?

Barleyfields

It seems you have £40 left from your Universal Credit but what about your disability payments, are you willing to say how much they are?

I don’t think you have been told about what you might have to pay for care, if you actually need it, have you? And do you actually need any care? Are you managing ok as you are?

No I was told I’m entitled to an assistant for managing daily tasks for things like shopping , managing my money etc
I don’t know the exact amounts for universal credit and the disability payment off the top of my head it’s just a rough idea