my mother has altzeimers, my sister (who lives with her) does not work and looks after her 24 hours a day. she claims carers allowance and my mother has state pension also. We as a family all take turns in helping out to look after her for a few hours. now my sister feels she cant do this anymore and wants my mother to have carers between 9-5 everyday. However this my sister says we have to pay for, surely the carers allowance she receives should go towards this and then my sister would be able to go back to work? My mother has no money, savings etc and lives in council accomadation. My sister now wants me to contribute financially towards care for my mother even though she gets carers allowance. Is this how the carers allowance system works?
carers allowance
- Thread starter nassy
- Start date
Carers allowance is awarded to a person who looks after another for at least 35 hours a week. Presumably your Sister will still be looking after your Mum evenings/night-times? If so she will continue to receive CA, if not it will be stopped. If your sister returns to work the Carers Allowance will be taxed if she earns more than a certain amount each week. Others will be along to clarify the amount.
You really should get your Mum's finances assessed by the local authority as no one is liable for someone else's care-unless they want to. Is a Social Worker involved or a CPN? They could be a good starting point.
However, even if your Mum is assessed as needing carers it is very doubtful that she will be given so many hours in a week. As your Mum has not a lot of money coming in the LA would need to fund her care. All LA's are different but I suspect that there are not many who would allow that kind of expense. They may mention that your Mum now needs to be placed in a care home as it could be more cost effective for them.
It's hard to juggle care but your Sister needs to be listened too. Being a 24/7 carer is a very hard job indeed and a few hours respite may not be enough for her, and even if she did use her carers allowance to pay it would only cover a few hours a week.
You really should get your Mum's finances assessed by the local authority as no one is liable for someone else's care-unless they want to. Is a Social Worker involved or a CPN? They could be a good starting point.
However, even if your Mum is assessed as needing carers it is very doubtful that she will be given so many hours in a week. As your Mum has not a lot of money coming in the LA would need to fund her care. All LA's are different but I suspect that there are not many who would allow that kind of expense. They may mention that your Mum now needs to be placed in a care home as it could be more cost effective for them.
It's hard to juggle care but your Sister needs to be listened too. Being a 24/7 carer is a very hard job indeed and a few hours respite may not be enough for her, and even if she did use her carers allowance to pay it would only cover a few hours a week.
I just want to clarify something. We are talking about carer's allowance and not attendance allowance? If so, I agree with what Lyn has said. Honestly, carer's allowance is a pittance (currently £62.10 a week).
I think carers allowance stops if you are earning £100 a week for 15 hours work. Definitely need a financial assessment. If your mum is on pension credit there is extra money for care available, nassy. Our local debt advice centre helped immensely with the claim forms.
Your Mum needs an assessment as to how much, if anything she can afford to pay towards carers coming in. When the LA are involved funds are not that good and it could be that the care offered for 7 days per week in hours is only just above what is being looked for for one day.
Your sister will still be covering weekends, early mornings and evenings so will still be providing the 35 hours obligatory care to receive CA which really is a pittance for the work and time covered.
Your Mum may well qualify for attendance allowance that will help towards paying for care to cover some of the hours but no where near the hours of 9 to 5 daily.
Your sister will still be covering weekends, early mornings and evenings so will still be providing the 35 hours obligatory care to receive CA which really is a pittance for the work and time covered.
Your Mum may well qualify for attendance allowance that will help towards paying for care to cover some of the hours but no where near the hours of 9 to 5 daily.
Thank you for your help.
I will look into this. so the next stage would be to get my mothers finances assessed to start the ball rolling? If it is decided that mother needs to go into home would we have to pay or does that go on financial circumstances of my mother?
Its not that im callous but my sister may be hiding things from me and expect me to pay for all of mothers care.
I will look into this. so the next stage would be to get my mothers finances assessed to start the ball rolling? If it is decided that mother needs to go into home would we have to pay or does that go on financial circumstances of my mother?
Its not that im callous but my sister may be hiding things from me and expect me to pay for all of mothers care.
The OP's Mum should also apply for a SMI disregard on Council Tax which would reduced the effective occupancy by one resulting in a 25% reduction if the OP's sister is the only other resident.
The Mum should be in receipt of a qualifying benefit, most likely AA, as a Carer's Allowance has been awarded.
The Mum should be in receipt of a qualifying benefit, most likely AA, as a Carer's Allowance has been awarded.
Attendance allowance is awarded to the person diagnosed, and can be used to pay for extra help in the house. Carer's allowance is awarded to the a person providing at least 35 hours per week care for another person (not necessarily a relative)
good luck
good luck
the two are not connected, as far as I am aware. Attendance allowance is awarded on the needs of the person involved, read up on it here:
https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/overview
sorry, meant to add, if your sister is there all the time because of mum's needs then the higher rate AA might be allowed.
https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/overview
sorry, meant to add, if your sister is there all the time because of mum's needs then the higher rate AA might be allowed.
Has your Mum a social worker or CPN? Call them first. Her needs should be assessed first. Financial assessment should come later. NO you don't pay! If you want to pay for a 'top up' to give your Mum more choice of CH's that's a different issue. Your Mum/La will pay between them at a LA home or a home that will take LA rates.
Your sister looks after your mum on her own 24/7 with no additional help for the pittance of £61.35 a week! Of course she needs help! No one can do this on their own and no one has to! The only one with a duty of care is the state so get care assessments done and see what help is available. Your mum could go to a day centre get sitters in or carers to help out your sister. There is also help available with alterations to the house (grab rails etc). The most important would be respite for your sister, and if caring in the home becomes too much or too expensive, a care home. There is a limit to how much social services will fund, and it also depends entirely on the borough how much your mother would have to contribute. Also make sure your mother gets all the allowances she is entitled to. Attendance Allowance can be used to buy care in - carers allowance cannot. It is strictly for the carer and it is little enough. Your sister might not be in possession of all the facts regarding contributions to care, but please cut her some slack. The last thing an exhausted carer needs are family members having a go at her just because she can't cope anymore. Caring is bloody hard work, and carers are under appreciated as it is!
Just to add that it's very difficult to care for someone when you are working full time. I have done it, but it could only be achieved because OH went to a day centre every day and got sitters in the morning to stay with him until the transport bus arrived, plus sitters in the evening between being dropped off home and me returning from work. If social services don't agree to all this, you're screwed. Even if they do, you still have the evenings and weekends on your own, plus all the admin that comes with caring. I gave up work in the end when my employer didn't want to make concessions anymore. So your sister should really think about this. Carers Allowance also stops if someone goes back to work but is of course offset by a higher salary.
"...so to get carers allowance you have to of been awarded attendance allowance first?..."
The person cared for must be in receipt of at least one qualifying benefit, this is quite often AA.
"The person you care for
The person you care for must already get one of these benefits:
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - the middle or highest care rate
Attendance Allowance
Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, or basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension
Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)"
https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility
The person cared for must be in receipt of at least one qualifying benefit, this is quite often AA.
"The person you care for
The person you care for must already get one of these benefits:
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - the middle or highest care rate
Attendance Allowance
Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, or basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension
Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP)"
https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility
Carers allowance is given to the person who cares for the person with dementia. Attendance allowance goes to the person with dementia to help pay for extra care\equipment. If you are getting carers allowance you should claim for AA as well. Sue
B gets AA for himself, I couldn't get CA as it is means tested and I work PT.
Mater gets AA allowance which isn't taxed, and has her own pensions.
Mater gets AA allowance which isn't taxed, and has her own pensions.
