Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Unpaid carers should get a pension

66 replies

ICantFloss · 02/07/2018 09:14

By unpaid carers, I mean those thousands of us that receive carers allowance and care for our loved ones.
Carers allowance doesn't go far. For me I know I could work to top it up, but I actually care for 2 people, but can only claim for 1 carers allowance as apparently I am caring for 35 hours a week. No I am caring 24/7. Plus my own health is now affected. I don't get a break. Ever. But I love my family so I do it.
I do worry about my future, I can't save for a pension at all and really don't feel valued as a carer.
So AIBU to want a brighter future?

OP posts:
pinkbobbles · 02/07/2018 10:39

It isn’t much at all.

I sympathise op.

Babyroobs · 02/07/2018 10:45

Are the people that you are caring for receiving all the benefits they can. One a disabled child becomes an adult they can claim ESA or Universal credit alongside their PIP/ DLA. I met a disabled adult the other day who was getting £125 a week on ESA = highest rates of PIp so £145 a week there, so £270 a week. There is nothing to stop the disabled person using some of that to contribute to your household expenses like rent/ mortgage. If an older relative is on attendance allowance then that may passport them to an increase on other benefits and they could maybe use some of that to pay for the care you give, obviously depends how much/ what rates they get etc. I know older people who have become frail and use that Attendance allowance to pay their kids/ grandkids to help, that is what the disability benefit is for to pay for the extra costs of a disability.

Ifailed · 02/07/2018 10:46

I'm afraid the only way carers are going to get any extra cash is if they effectively go on strike, and handover the person they are caring for to the council/NHS. The state assumes people wouldn't do this, so they continue to treat them as they do. Maybe get together and organise? Even the threat of enough people stopping caring at the same time, with sufficient publicity would get your position more attention?

Babyroobs · 02/07/2018 10:48

It wouldn't work because they know that people would not allow their loved ones to suddenly go into care.

Babyroobs · 02/07/2018 10:49

We have a major crisis looming with the expected increase in ageing population expected in the next 20 years , people living longer and often needing more care.

Original poster
ICantFloss · 02/07/2018 10:50

@Ifailed I hear you, but I could never do that and that's where the government wins Sadand they know it.

OP posts:
Ifailed · 02/07/2018 10:51

Babyroobs That's the assumption, and so long as people go along with it, not much will change.

MereDintofPandiculation · 02/07/2018 10:54

By claiming carers allowance you will get state pension and if when you reach state pension age your state pension is your only income then you will get pension credit to top it up as well as housing benefit and council tax reduction if you are renting. Not pension credit - that's been abolished with the new pension rate.

CookPassBabtridge · 02/07/2018 10:55

It's shit how underappreciated you are. You must be saving the NHS/government thousands. It is work!

LakieLady · 02/07/2018 10:56

With people having to work longer before they can get their pensions, I can foresee a time when people are retiring at 70 and caring for their 90+ parents. Their kids won't be able to help, as they'll be working to pay off their huge mortgages until they're 60-odd.

The whole system's fucked and no politician will ever be prepared to raise taxes to a level that can adequately fund health and social care, because they'd never get elected again.

nomorespaghetti · 02/07/2018 11:00

I'm a carer for my daughter. Even if you had excess money to pay into a private pension, you can't pay in more than £3,600 a year (if you're not paying income tax). So it's not really even like you have the option to build up a nice big pension pot for yourself! It's shite op, i agree.

ClashCityRocker · 02/07/2018 11:01

I have every sympathy. I suspect that if you were not around, it would cost the government a fuck ton of a lot more than £70 quid a week to care for the two people you look after.

It would be nice for the government to recognise that as well as saving them money in the short term you are also sacrificing your ability to pay into anything towards your old age.

sprinklesandsauce · 02/07/2018 11:03

I'm not a carer, but a self employed single parent. I don't have an employer, so no auto enrolment pension for me. I can't afford to pay into a pension as I have to provide for my child and pay a mortgage.

Carers and people on a low income need to be considered by the Government, with something equivalent to Auto Enrolment being available to them, with something similar to the NIC credit system so that credits are put in for you, or for self employed people, some of the Class 2/4 NIC goes into a pension.

Original poster
ICantFloss · 02/07/2018 11:04

I wish I had a like button, thankyou for your lovely posts appreciating us carers, and non mumsnetty hugs to those in the same boat as me ThanksThanksThanks

OP posts:
elliejjtiny · 02/07/2018 11:05

I'm an unpaid carer too. It's a nightmare and we are really struggling. A couple of months ago the dwp decided that the person I care for isn't disabled anymore so he lost his dla and I lost my carers allowance. I'm still caring for him the same as I was before so how is that fair?

Babyroobs · 02/07/2018 11:06

There should be different rates of carers allowance to reflect different levels of care being given. If for example a child is severely disabled and needing round the clock care then the level of carers allowance could reflect that.

Babyroobs · 02/07/2018 11:08

It is terrible when PIP/ DLA suddenly stops because people can potentially not only lose their disability benefit but the carer loses their carers allowance and any associated benefits such as Income support. I think there is a run on of Income support in this situation but carers stops straight away unless the person being cared for dies and then there is an eight week run on.

WaggyMama · 02/07/2018 11:12

OP, do you have a partner/DH who has a private pension?

Original poster
ICantFloss · 02/07/2018 11:23

@elliejjtiny that is awful, have you asked for a mandatory reconsideration? Asked them to look at the DLA again?

OP posts:
Original poster
ICantFloss · 02/07/2018 11:24

@WaggyMama I do have a DH, but this thread is about me and my future.

OP posts:
Original poster
ICantFloss · 02/07/2018 11:26

@Babyroobs I also think there should be additional rates if you're caring for more than one person as well.
I agree with you, there are people caring for some really seriously disabled people, they should definitely get more, it should not be a flat rate.
But I suppose it would cost too must to administrate.

OP posts:
Babyroobs · 02/07/2018 11:31

Icantfloss - It could easily be linked to the rate of DLA/PIP that the disabled person was on. If on highest rates then ( that the most disabled people will be on ) then a higher rate of Carers allowance could be paid to reflect that.

Babyroobs · 02/07/2018 11:33

In my line of work, I deal with a lot of terminally ill people who maybe only have a few months left to live. As if that kind of diagnosis/ prognosis isn't enough to deal with the person's spouse or child has to then give up their job or take unpaid leave to care for them and are reduced to £64 a week carers allowance, it really is awful . Not all employers will pay people sick pay to care for an ill relative or child.

vickibee · 02/07/2018 11:35

This was addressed in the last election with Corbyn pledging to raise it by £10 pw immediately.It would still be a pittance though.

Spikeyball · 02/07/2018 11:36

Carers allowance is seen by the government as a benefit, not a recognition of work so I cannot see it being varied according to how much caring work someone does.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread