AIBU to think carer's allowance is abysmal!!

[Fizzielove]

Simply that!!

All the work, save the government thousands and the carer's allowance is shit!!

I gave up my beloved career to become a carer because it became impossible to work around their needs.

I know a fair amount about bejng a carer and carers allowance but every case is so individual, isn't it? I know plenty about mine, not so much about yours.

I wouldn't be so rude as to tell somebody they knew nothing about it for disagreeing with me though.

How will they assess accurately though if they have gotten rid of people who actually understand the disability? And what are the eligibility requirements?

They may not be specialist in a specific disability but they will have the ability to assess, ask questions, listen, record the carers views and wishes, and the recommend support and services where appropriate.

The eligibility requirements are on that link I think. If not are easily found on Google if you search carers eligibility care act or children and families act.

Its crap and if external carers came in to do what the family carers do then it would be used in a day ...... Plus many of the family carers are pensioners and shouldn't be having the stress and worry of it all.

I shall have a Google......thankyou

That's OK. Hope it helps. The new care act seems to have come in by stealth and councils seem reluctant to publicise the, often quite dramatic for some councils, changes.

So what do you think is the solution, then Angeale?

If the fact that my DH will have to stop work to care for me and thereby saves social services funding my care (this is undeniable) makes you "uncomfortable", what's your answer?

It's a genuine question, I want to know what your solution is?

No, Angeale, but you'd be rude enough to tell people that they should just be getting on with it and not complaining about the pitiful amount of carer's allowance because it's a family member.

Do you have enough empathy to realise that other people's circumstances might be a whole lot more challenging than your own? They might not have any family back up. They might be a single parent. They might even have a disability themselves.

Seems fair if job seekers have work 35h for £73 then carers have to do least 35 get £64.... Something wrong there. Surely if someone needs 70h that should be doubled.

In ideal world it should be paid mim wage for 35h even though people work far more. This should be exempt from housing and other income top up calculations. Not give with one hand take away with the other. Alas it will never catch on

be curious to know how much the council gets charged to provide home support.

I would hazard a guess it would be more than £62.10 a week, breakingdad, which is why I genuinely cannot understand the mentality that family careres are not saving the state money.

It's pitiful, and should be more than JSA, which is a short-term measure until someone gets a job. Carers will often be in their situation until they die.

Some people who are carers do many many hours and others only a couple. And get the same money as far as I'm aware.

Carers allowance should pay the national minimum wage at least.

What parts of the welfare budget would you cut to fund this increase?

Why the welfare budget? Why not fund it by making those tax dodging corporations pay up? Or how about scrapping Trident?

Viviennemary, you have to do at least 35 hours of caring duties a week. Would you work for less than £2 per hour?

It's just I know somebody who complains about this person getting carers allowance and they hardly do anything. Certainly nothing like 35 hours a week. More like four or five.

Definitely awful. They have to care for someone over 35 hours a week to get the money, and a lot of the time, they save the government a fortune. They often don't get tea breaks or 5 minutes peace.

Carers do a fabulous job!

YANBU.
Both me and DH do a minimum of 12 hours a day each term time, up to 18 hours weekends and school holidays. For £62.10 each.

Thing is though it's not gonna improve. We're still going to be in the shit if tax credits are cut, were still going to be dragged into work focused interviews every 3 years and told that actually yes we could go to work now the kids are school age (completely missing the point about hospital appointments, meetings, being called into school and getting jobs done that we Can't do with the kids home, never mind the sleep we need to catch up on and the reams of paperwork).

Then we get sniped at for being scroungers and called entitled.

It should be noted that Carers Allowance is taken off if you have any other benefits coming in, it counts as earned income for tax credits and as 'money you already have coming in' for other benefits. You will get a 'care element' with these, but it's about fifteen quid a week.
TTWK There are so many places from which it could come.

But that argument can be logically extended to any form of work that is paid when outside of the home but not in it - cleaning and childminding being the most obvious examples.
Really, I don't know many other people that have to get up two or three times a night past the age of about three. I don't know many other adults that have to get up, shower someone, change their sheets and pyjamas and then get them back to bed. That's not even the person I get paid carers allowance for. I have to look after three people with disabilities, four when ds is home. I get 65 quid a week for it, so as far as I'm concerned, I am saving the government a bloody fortune. Imagine if they were in care, fuel, food, preparation of food, three staff each to cover night and day, staff to prepare and cook food, staff to maintain the building. Washing of clothes, outings, supplies. The list is endless.

Oh yay. The mumsnet daily mail contingent arriveth.
For newbies, just wait. This is where they wilfully ignore people recounting true life experiences whilst blithely sticking to their own prejudices, stereotypes and libertarian buzz words.

"Bad life choices" "taking responsibility"

You might like to grab a bucket, it gets pukeworthy.

PurpleHairAndPearls life deals some tough blows sometimes I'm really sorry to read of your circumstances.

I occassionally cry myself to sleep as a carer who gave up a career I loved to look after Autistic DS. He's a gorgeous bright fasinating child but i'll be his carer till I die. Its the no way out trap that is sometimes such a burden, most of the time I can just get on with things.

I did contact social services a while ago, well requested an assessment online, not so much for myself but for my middle son. Its very difficult for him to access many elements of a normal childhood (if there is such a thing). They have been really good and we've been awarded a care package which gets DS1 out the house on an activity for 4 hours a fortnight (thats what we requested) so DS2 can have some parent time/ do an activity too. The new care act linked to above suggests each person in the household can be assessed and support packages potentially tailored to their needs. I wondered if its something you could consider, if you haven't already, for your own circumstance.

MisForMum thank you. We also have DC with SN (getting older now and will be able to live independently) which meant DH had to SAHP as we couldn't get any suitable childcare. Our main stress was and is suitable education really. It must be very hard in your circumstances, I'm glad you have got some respite. It sounds like it will be good for all of your.

I haven't looked properly into any additional support other than seeing about alterations to the house, ironically the person in the department dealing with this was on long term sick so nothing has happened! I did get PIP awarded after a ten month wait so am luckier than most. I know I need to do something as DH will break under the strain of looking after us all if I don't..

'The thing is though March they will HAVE to assess those carers now because it's a legal requirement to do so and is absolutely set in stone.'

It's set in stone to assess. It isn't set in stone to give any support. It isn't set in stone to have transparent criteria for who qualifies for support. It is down to the individual's 'professional opinion' and THIS explains why Local Authorities are far too dysfunctional to work in the way they are supposed to.

Or www.specialneedsjungle.com/why-send-department-targets-mean-culture-change-reform-may-never-happen/

To be fair, the Care Act eligibility criteria have widened to look at how the caring role affects wellbeing and avoids solely focusing on practical tasks. Under the new criteria, the majority of carers - as described on the thread - will be eligible.