Carers allowance if going to care home

[Herewegoagain1990]

Hi,
My Dad maybe going into a care home and I just wondered if someone could explain to me what happens to carers allowance. I phoned them up to explain I'd still be in charge of all money, banking, benefit matters, medication and will still take him shopping but when I asked if I have to add up all the hours I do to see if it works out at 35 hrs they said no I didn't need to add it up? So how will I know if I still qualify? Perhaps it's easier to just not claim it if he does indeed move!

Thank you

Basically, it's very unlikely you will be caring for them for 35 hours a week if they live in a care home. They have carers 24-7 in those environments. I guess the home are saying they aren't going to stop you continue claiming? I'd say it would probably potentially be dishonest to not disclose the circumstance change. Even then I think you can only get it if the person is on certain benefits.
It's not very much and probably better to just stop your claim. Presuming the burden on you is indeed relieved by them being in residential care.

You need to add it up still, only claim if it's consistently over 35 hours a week. I doubt it will be honestly, unless there's over 5 hours of admin a day?

Thank you that's helpful to know. I will of course stop my claim if he does end up going to a care home

I phoned them up to explain I'd still be in charge of all money, banking, benefit matters, medication and will still take him shopping

What kind of shopping will he need if he is in residential care though? As for the money aspect, once he is in the home and the fees/benefits are set up you don't have anything to do. I'm not aware of the medication aspect, it seems a bit strange to pay hundreds of pounds a week for care but not have them administer medication. Even if you collect the meds from the pharmacy, there is no way you will be m caring for him at all, let alone for over 35 hours a week.

In order for you to get carer's allowance, he needs to be in receipt of a disability benefit like PIP or Attendance Allowance. When he moves into a care home, that benefit will stop and so will your entitlement to carer's allowance.

Carer's Allowance - If the person you’re caring for goes into a care home or hospital

Change of circumstances while you're getting Attendance Allowance - If you live in a care home

Reporting changes that affect your PIP - If you go into hospital or a care home

If they are self funding, they will still get AA. I think there is a 6 week period where you continue to get CA once your caring role ends, but not sure if that is just when the cared for dies.

But why would you be doing his medication once he's in a home? The home sorts it out, the local pharmacy usually drops a delivery off for all the residents' prescriptions at regular intervals and the staff keep the records of who has had what when - it would be chaos if relatives were trying to get involved with this!

And why would he need to go shopping? He'll probably need some soap and toothpaste being brought in periodically but you can just pick that up during your usual supermarket shop and take it when you visit him. It doesn't require a special trip or for him to go too.

I imagine if the routine involves taking them to doctors appointments, out to shops for gifts and ‘wants’ as well as essentials like food, then OP will feel that this should continue. Not everyone going into a nursing home will immediately be chair bound and lose interest in anything outside the home.

The arrangements for bills, managing their belongings, all needs to happen still. I guess that’s what the six weeks is for.

Sorry, my bad - you're right, AA/PIP would continue if he was self-funding.

Carer's Allowance should stop either way, though. You don't get carer's allowance just for helping with someone's finances - you would need to be physically with the person to care for them.

@AnotherEmma Yes. I'm not sure if you get the six weeks if cared for goes into residential care though. I've assumed that it's there to enable you to make alternate financial provision before it gets cut. Although its not like you're exactly living it large on £81.90 a week! It's more important for the NI side of things though.

Where do you live OP?

In Scotland, you don't usually get AA in a care home even if you are self funding.

Attendance Allowance doesn't stop if the person is a complete self funder.

If you read the thread you'll see someone already pointed that out

Yes, i did, but I was reading in date order and you can’t erase posts. This isn’t AIBU, where it’s acceptable to criticise every small mistake, so I assume there’s deliberate intent to your snippiness.

Thanks everyone for your comments. My Dad has decided he would like to stay in his home and have carers come in so we are now looking into that!