Is this person entitled to financial help?

[HermioneMakepeace]

OK, so this is not me or my family, I am literally ‘asking for a friend’. So this is the situation: elderly lady, let’s call her Doris. She lives in a council house in the UK. Her great nephew, let’s call him John, has been staying with Doris for a while. The arrangement worked well, Doris enjoyed having John around and felt safe. She has had a few falls so was grateful that John was there to look after her.

The thing is, John is on a very low income and paying half the rent and council tax was quite a lot of money for him. Therefore he has found another house share out of town that he can afford. This will leave Doris alone and vulnerable.

Doris doesn’t want to ask for help because she is scared she will be put in a home. However I think if John could get some kind of carers allowance then maybe he could afford to stay looking after Doris, even though he’s out at work during the day.

Does anybody know if any help exists for Doris and John? Thanks.

There is one level if carers allowance and it is £66.15 per week, I receive it myself.

John would have to be earning under the threshold of around £120 per week to qualify AND be looking after Doris for 35 hours plus a week.

It would be indeed wise to do a benefits check for her online to see if she is getting all of the help she is entitled to.
Many older people worry about being "put in a home" but from what you've said, Doris is not in need of 24 hour care.

Presumably she coped before John came to stay? She has quite possibly and understandably became too reliant on him.

Actually she looked after John a bit, by always cooking in the evening for them both. It meant that she would also get a cooked meal whereas she probably wouldn't bother if it was just her.

There is lots of well meaning but confusing advice on here. She or ideally both of them need to have a Welfare Benefits Check done by someone who understands the rules correctly. Try CAB or local Age UK or other local support agencies.

In my experience the council will do anything rather than fund a care home for an elderly person. If she can still see to her own personal care and get about her house they won't fund a home so she has no worries there. She needs to get the correct advice and not be afraid to access this.

Why did she stop being eligible for housing benefit when John moved in? Presumably if he moves out she will start being eligible again?

As a social worker I can say with some certainty that Doris is not going to be put in a care home if she doesn't need or want to be in one.

Going to CAB will not trigger a referral to social services either, they aren't at all linked.

Doris could ask the council for a 'lifeline' which she can use to alert someone if she has fallen.

@hatgirl, she's terrified that she will have to leave her home so will not ask for help . It's a really difficult situation. She won't even let the council in the house to repair it as she's scared they'll say she has to leave. She doesn't understand that workmen, etc don't have the authority to evict people.

Ah- if he’s a relative they may have fallen into a benefit loophole...

When I was a student on 6k a year I was entitled to council tax benefit, and a few other bits, living on my own. A relative moved in with me as we both thought splitting bills etc would be more economical.

Until we fell down the loophole- i lost my student benefits as I was living with a relative, so they were expected to support me, regardless of the fact they were on JSA etc.

They lost their benefits because, yup, they were living with a relative who was expected to support them.

For example council tax, we were both individually entitled to student/jsa discount. But living with each other nullified the discount and we had to pay the full amount.

They don’t look at income for related adults.

Another vote for Age UK, they uncovered an absolute heap of benefits my mum was entitled to after my dad died. Their help was non intrusive and non-judgemental and has made the world of difference.

Age uk are fucking amazing. One of the “big” charities I will donate to.

Ok . I understand she won't do the benefit check at the CAB (not always as knowledgeable as you would hope) or allow the DWP visiting service to come and sort out her entitlements.. so you have only two options. Do the calculations your self - or PM me. I work In DWP. Not the 'frontline ' services anymore but have had 32 years experience and 'speak' benefit /pension lingo..

From the little you have said - I would assume your elderly relative to be entitled to Attendance Allowance. Which would increase her entitlement to Pension Credit.. and Housing Benefit.. it is fiendishly complicated. ! And changes immensely if you are deemed 'disabled' or a 'carer' ..

If you want to sort it yourself. Turn2us has a very competent calculator.

@smallereveryday Oh yes please, I will PM you. Thank you so much. And thanks to everybody else who has contributed to this thread. You are all very kind and it is much appreciated.