Benefits help

[ThePinkOcelot]

I know this isn’t an AIBU, but could do with some advice.
My sister just found out yesterday that her partner of 18 years has been cheating on her and he’s left. They have 1 dd aged 16, who is just starting her GCSE’s. Great timing!!
Anyway, she works 10 hours per week in a school but is also a carer for our mum with Alzheimer’s, so can’t really work anymore at the moment.
We have been on entitled to and it said she’s not entitled to anything other than her wages, carers and child benefit. Her ex has said he will give her some, but I’m not sure whether he can be relied upon really.

Surely this can’t be right can it?!

Sounds right. The other option is you get carers in for mum and she increases her work hours. Hard choices to make at the moment for her. Hope youre all supporting her

She should get some
Tax credits as her wages aren’t that much. But yes of she gets carers she can’t earn more than about £100 a week or it’s just taken back. But she doesn’t seem to be getting a child amounts apart from CB she should get some tax credits

Housing and council tax benefit too

Thanks.
Yes we are supporting her, but she’s absolutely devastated.

There’s no option for her to increase her hours in her current role. We have been told by a friend who used to be a carer, that people only get 15 mins at a time and can go in at anytime from 6 am to get them up.

That's rubbish. Council funded care usually starts at half an hour minimum and if you have a specific reason (ie medication) to need to get up at x time they will put it in the care plan. You could apply for a personal budget and ask if your sister could be mum's allocated carer though... it will mean a financial assessment though

Can the rest of the family not help care so she can get more hours elsewhere?

Once her chid leaves education she'll lose loads so it's best to gain more work asap and for everyone to share the load re your mum.

Thanks bumpowder, I’ll look in to that for her.

Her mum would be entitled to a care package. She needs least 35h care for her to claim carers allowance so she may need a lot of care. Social services would then see what they can provide based on need and what she may have to pay.

Some people may get 15m call but there’s are frowned upon if she needs help dressing washing getting food then it’s going to be much longer.

Saying that if there are no longer hits at work in her area she better off getting carers and working 10hours if she earns much more it be reduced.

At the moment she’s not getting any more for
Child than of ahe was single so worth applying on line to see.

Her daughter is staying on in education, so I’ve told her to not panic about things at the moment and to catch her breath. Did tell her not long term solution.
Unfortunately, there’s only 3 of us out of 5 who can help out and we both work full time. We both stay over 2 nights per week each though.

If she does not have over £16,000 in savings, doesn't work full-time and is a Carer then she should be entitled to 'Income Support'.