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To wonder if there is any financial help for foster carer unable to have a child due to ill health (temporarily)

14 replies

needsomegoodadvice · 07/11/2017 07:43

Shamelessly posting in here for traffic, also posted in money. (At work, asking for someoneone else so apologies if I can't check thread until later)
Does anyone know if there are any benefits that can be applied for if a foster carer is unable to have a child due to ill health (hopefully not permanently). Zero income coming in as classed as self employed. Would be so grateful for any help or advice.

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Isetan · 07/11/2017 07:57

Does ill health prevent them from doing other work? I don’t know the answer but even if retainer benefits were available, it would mean that they would still have to be available to foster. Otherwise it would take money away from children in need of fostering by transferring it to someone who was incompcitated and there are specific benefits for those that who are.

It sounds like that the person you are asking for isn’t in a position to foster but doesn’t want to jump through the many hoops of applying for benefits based on their current capacity to work.

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TeenTimesTwo · 07/11/2017 07:58

There's a Fostering board under 'Becoming a parent' that may help, though I guess it is a general question regarding the Self Employed.

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lionsleepstonight · 07/11/2017 08:03

I guess she's looking for 'sick pay', but I thought for self employed people, they need some kind of insurance to cover this (if such a thing even exists).
There's no govt scheme for self employed sick pay, if that's what they are after.

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needsomegoodadvice · 07/11/2017 08:12

Thanks for your replies....They are definately not able to work currently either. Awaiting tests etc.

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Moreisnnogedag · 07/11/2017 08:42

I don't think so unless she had taken out specific insurance.

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namechange2222 · 07/11/2017 08:48

Foster Carers used to be entitled to claim Income Support during periods of not having a child in placement ( and therefore could also be in receipt oh benefits such as housing benefit) If you google foster carers and benefits it will show you. I don't think they had to be available to work and hence didnt claim JSA ( sorry Im aware benefits have changed)
Going on from this if your friend is unwell I'd advise her to ask the GP for a sickness certificate ( again, sorry cant recall the name for that now!) Send it to the relevant department and she may well get what was called statutory sick pay.
If I'm talking absolute bull it's honestly not intentional and please seamen correct me

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AHedgehogCanNeverBeBuggered · 07/11/2017 08:58

If she's unable to work she will be entitled to either contributions-based ESA or UC (depending on where she lives) for 6 months assuming she's paid her NICs. If she's not paid in enough to get contributions-based benefits she can claim income-based if she has less than £16k in savings.*

this is assuming she's unable to work at all - if she's fit for alternative work she will need to job hunt and claim either JSA or UC.

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AHedgehogCanNeverBeBuggered · 07/11/2017 09:00

222 that's incorrect, foster carers count as self employed and cannot claim IS unless they meet the normal qualifying criteria. They do not get sick pay due to being self employed.