pension v carers allowance

It's not fair and it's not right. Are there any other allowances you can claim? Have you been in touch with your local Citizen's Advice Bureau or Disability Rights Group?

Presumably your wife is receiving at least middle rate care DLA or lower rate AA ? And if you were receiving caters allowance you were spending the majority of time caring? You would also have been credited with NI contributions?

Are you eligible for pension credits?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Pensionsandretirementplanning/PensionCredit/DG_10018692

If you are, you will also be able to claim council tax benefit and, if you pay rent, housing benefit.

Age UK are very helpful on benefits and allowances for retired people.

Good luck.

Not the same thing I know but a few years ago I became a carer for my lovely dad who sadly is no longer with us.
As time went on he needed more and more care, I was told I could become his full time carer and get paid for it, but that would mean giving up my job. I looked into it and if I had have given up my job my take home money per week would be less over half than if I stayed in work.
I could not afford to give up work so I had to carry on working and do more and more for dad as his needs became more dependable on me .
The last year off his life was very hard, he offered to go into a home but I asked him did he really want to and he said no but he didn't want to "put " on me any more. I told him that between him and me we would cope, he loved his little flat and thats where he stayed until his last few days. He did so much for me in his life it was only fair I repaid him back as best I could.
bruff as you have said "its not fair" but what can we do.... we grit our teeth and get on with it, after all they are our loved ones, we are never going to turn our backs on them.
This and other goverments know that by getting the likes of you and me to care for our family with out giving us a penny saves them a lot of money and thats what it all boils down to
bruff I wish you all the best

Annika

bruff

I care full time for my husband and although he gets middle rate DLA, I can't get a carer's allowance because I have a pension.
I don't get any help at present with his care ..it is so important that I keep well and strong to deal with his Wheelchair /oxygen cylinders/
ventilator / scooter in and out of car and all his physical needs...dressing, showering etc etc .
'For better, for worse' eh !!!!!
Empathy with anyone going trough the same xxxxx

I am in a similar position withDGD for whom I have custody she receives middle rate DLA and I get careers allowance,I will be 60 this year but cannot get my pension until 2015,when I will lose the careers allowance and have to cope on my pension.Not sure how this will work as by this time she will be 15,compulsory school leaving age for her is 18..this I fear is going to be quite a difficult time .

Morning * Tosh* nice to see you on here. We dread my sister's husband falling I'll because he is caring full-time for her and she would need to be hospitalised if he couldn't manage as she has specialised nursing care he has been trained to give her.

whenim64 ...love the name..but reminded me that I am now 64 !!!
If I was ill and confined to bed DH could not manage at all and although we have 3 daughters ...they have their own families/work etc.....it is quite a worry.
Keep taking the Vitamins Tosh !!!!!!

I'm very lucky. Here in Australia when we reached pension age they gave us the choice to move to the age pension or stay on disability and carer's pensions. We elected to stay: my husband's disability allowance is the same, but my carer's allowance gives me an extra A$57 a week. Also, I get A$1200 every June.

I'm hoping things stay the same if our Federal Labour government loses to the Tories next year - but you never know.....

Hi Tosh I used to be Carol when you were on here more frequently. 64 in a week or so, and I think I'll remain at that age for a few years!!!

bruff, I suggest you contact the pension service, part of the dept. of work and pensions. Social services are also useful and should be able to help you with anything you are entitled to. There will probably be a lot of form filling but may be worth it in the long run. Good luck.

bruff, I did a bit of checking when I was at CAB today and if you are on pension credits as a couple, there is an additional disability element of £58.20 per person per week.

Thankyou guys for all the info about different things to look into, I'll keep my self busy the first few days of retirement reading up on what you have all been so helpful with, I supose what would be very handy is if we picked the right numbers on the lottery. Big thanks again

Hello,
I would like to know if anyone on here has claimed Pension credit and if so how long do they take to process the application.

My husband claimed Pension Credit for a while whilst I was in Australia. The Pensions people are very helpful (generally) and it doesn't do any harm to call them and have a chat. I'd also talk to AgeUk and see what advice they can give you.

All the best