Donna, this is a really interesting point. When I looked into being able to claim Carer's Allowance I realised the nonsense of being able to say I 'cared' (using that term very loosely!) for 35 hours per week EVERY WEEK, on a week-by-week basis.
(As if we haven't got enough to do but document each minute spent - and can we claim 'carers' time for being on TP getting support for ourselves and those we care for - I should damned well think so!)
One week, with hospital prep and appointments on top of the usual 'caring' - shopping, cooking, cleaning (do they count us 'keeping them company' and perhaps rescuing them from depression?) I was in excess of 60 hours when I stopped counting! (And I'm sure that's nothing compared to some here!). Next week, because I know she's got friends calling in and no appointments, I might be down to 20 hours... am I supposed to find the time (which I assume I can record) to document all that? Or make sure I spend an extra half hour bathing mum one week just to make sure I have reached my 'quota'?
(And no, I'm not claiming anything. For the mo, I'm hanging on to my little part-time job, looking after my family and can still find 60 hours per week for mum when I need to - talk about workhouse days.... or should that be workhorse - I'm sure the RSPCA would be concerned if they knew what some of us have to do.... and then how we are treated with scraps......)
Can someone in National/Local govt not realise that some of us are not driven by blasted paperwork and use some bloody common sense? Surely, they can 'average' - and realise this life is anything but average!
I've never understood either why being in hospital should make such a difference to Attendance Allowance or anything else for that matter. Swap caring at home for transport and laundry costs and supplementing food etc etc and I've never seen any difference - if anything in my case mum being in hospital has usually seen me in deficit!!!!
Sorry, angry tonight. I just think 'on top of everything else' we don't need stingy, bureaucratic idiots hindering us.
(I’ll let someone else pick up on the 25% when it should be 50%, surely?)
Good luck for your dad, Donna! Well done you, keep fighting….