Carers Allowance WTF

[MagicPharmacist]

Due to an absolutely perfect storm of shit happenings, my dad died, my mum has Parkinson’s and I lost my part time job, we’ve made a decision that rather than look for another job right now I will care for my mum. I’m very happy to do this and we are fortunate enough that I can be on minimal income for now, although obviously not ideal.

I do a little bit of self employed work, no where near the threshold. My mum gets attendance allowance so she told me to apply for carers allowance.

But the numbers make NO SENSE to me. It’s not anything I’ve ever had to look at before but how the fuck do they justify this?

£81 a week for 35hrs caring (and obviously it’s more than this for most people). And then on top of that you are only allowed to earn £150? Why? What’s the justification?

And then the new cap will be £196 earnings which is equivalent to 16hrs at minimum wage. Why? Why are they so invested in keeping carers poor?

I don’t really understand why this is a means tested benefit. Surely it’s in the government interests to have family carers? £81 a week for 35 hours minimum work and then you can ONLY make less than 800 a month on the side? How do they expect people to live?

I’m ENRAGED. Not necessarily for myself; we won’t starve as my husband has a good job. But if he earned less we would be fucked, my mum would either have to have carers in every day or go into a care home.

Oh god and the hoops to jump through as well; the form was a nightmare and they want so much info about me and my previous employment and current income. And it takes at least six weeks for a decision…could be months.

AIBU to be shocked by this?

That is true. A whole £1.30 an hour pay, gosh more gratitude to be had.

So what happens when your parent needs care around the clock? Can’t be left alone during the day? How do you provide that and continue to work?

You just give up your job? And then what, scrape by on the very minimal UC that’s handed out?

That’s an extremely big responsibility to take on with huge personal sacrifice, and it saves the state lots of money.

Lots of people are happy to help look after their parents if it just means popping in after work or cleaning once a week. But when your parent requires more significant care, it really is a huge task that upends your life.

Yep
On here if you care for elderly parents its because you are after the inheritance.
But if you dont its because you are lazy and cant be bothered.

And if the person you care for gets housing benefit it will be reduced.

I agree it's completely inadequate for anyone to live on but they know that and they know family members will step up. The loved one appreciates it that's for sure

Nonsense. I was claiming carers allowance for my son but not entitled to Universal credit. I don’t know anyone getting CA and eligible for UC !

Yep. Carers save the tax payer a fortune but carers allowance has a punitive effect on some other benefits.

A bit like pensions they should be at least the minimum wage , ideally the living wage . But the government doesn’t care about disabled and sick people at all

The loved one appreciates it that's for sure

That does not always follow. Some become verbally, emotonally and or physically abusive even if they were lovely or placid prior to needing care.

Being unwell and having to rely upon or being relied upon is an incredibly difficult place to occupy, it completely changes your relationship with each other and not often for the better.

When you become a pensioner you lose it altogether- you still get to care for the person though.

You’re having a laugh. My DH was laid up in bed with 6 broken vertebrae due to his cancer. His care should have been 2 carers and a hoist.

it was me. Just me. There were no carers available through the council, we’d have had to use private carers which we couldn’t bloody afford because I had to give up my job to care for him.