Live in carer - loss of benefit?

Maldives13

Registered User
Feb 4, 2014
164
0
Hello everyone. Please help. Mum is currently in respite after I went on holiday for a week and my siblings couldn't cope! That is bad enough but now 2 of them want Mum to stay in permanently if they have a vacancy. Home is lovely but I'm not so keen. Everyone else is far worse than she is and it's a 30bed home. She is not used to and doesn't like so many people. I'm looking at live in care options and thanks to all those who have messaged me with recommendations.
If we went that route does Mum keep her attendance allowance? I guess she will lose her council tax benefit. She is social services funded so all a bit difficult but wondered if anyone knew?

Many thanks folks
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
She would keep her AA. I'm not quite sure what you mean about her being LA funded. Because if she comes home, the LA won't fund live-in care. They might fund some care visits but that's it.

When it comes to council tax benefit, if you mean the disregard for mental impairment, she would keep that plus a carer who lived in but wasn't related wouldn't count as a resident for the purposes of council tax.
 

Maldives13

Registered User
Feb 4, 2014
164
0
Hi jenniferpa.
She is currently getting direct payments so I assume we can keep those and use them toward the live in care?
That's good to know about attendance allowance thank you. She currently gets council tax benefit because she gets guarenteed pension credit. I think the pension credit would stop but wonder if I might be able to get exemption from council tax benefit for mental impairment.
Thanks for the info - very helpful
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
I don't see why the pension credit would stop just because she had a live in carer. I'm by no means an expert on this issue though, so perhaps someone with more experience than me will be along.

I do wonder, though, how you expect to pay for this live in care because it's not cheap. If you're thinking of paying for it yourself - well it's a massive undertaking.

Be aware, if she stayed in a residential home and was LA funded, AA would stop.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,072
0
Bury
"...wonder if I might be able to get exemption from council tax benefit for mental impairment..."

The Severe Mental Impairment (SMI) relief from council tax is a disregard not a benefit, the person is disregarded in any calculation of tax. As well as a doctor's signature stating that the person is disadvantaged in a social situation because of mental impairment the person must be in receipt of one of a range of benefits, the usual benefit is Attendance Allowance. Any other means tested reduction of tax would cease.

The best thing to do is contact AgeUk or CAB for advice on this and also the pension credit.