Available benefits for live-in carers

[Cbdiva]

Hello everyone.

Brief run down, three years ago had breast cancer. The operation left me with nerve damage/stress to my left arm and hand and I haven't been able to use it since. Last June the cancer returned and is incurable. The new tumour is pressing on nerves and now my left shoulder is screwed too. A friend moved in to help me out, he sleeps on the sofa as we are in 2bed, just me and my daughter. My Macmillan specialist told me to apply for carers allowance for him, which I did and that's now paid. However, with my failing health he has had to give up his own work (he was self employed) and universal credit have just refused his application on the grounds that he doesn't have proof of habitual residency. I don't know what this means. He's Polish and has been here for about eight years. I've never had experience of claiming before this (I'm now on UC and PIP, but before that) and I don't know what to do.

This is my first post, I hope I've explained everything properly and I really appreciate any help offered.

I’d take up the UC issue and see what he needs to prove U.K. residency. Maybe citizens advice can help?
For more carers benefits, I think carers allowance is all they can get but you could ask MacMillian and citizens advice to make sure you aren’t missing anything.

@PlanDeRaccordement Thank you. I've asked UC to clarify what it means, I'm guessing bre*it caused the changes. Yes, I'll give my Macmillan man a call and see if he can help. Thank you.

The rules for habitual residency are quite specific. It was in place before Brexit for the purpose of claiming benefits. Has he applied to settle status since he's been here longer than 8 years? If so, he'll have to provide evidence (and from what I've heard, the letter that is sent is not proof).

Has he always been self-employed? If so, wasn't he earning enough to support himself until he became a carer for you?

Habitual residency is proving that the UK is his home. It also applies to British People who go to live abroad and then come back. Nothing to do with brexit; been around years.

And I don't know how you claimed carers allowance for him, the carer has to claim it themselves.

@dontdisturbmenow Thank you. The Brexit comment was a joke, I admitted I had no idea what it meant. He was supporting himself fully before turning carer for me, but my needs grew almost overnight and he in turn had to give it up as I had nobody else to step in.

@starfishmummy Thank you, perhaps he didn't take enough evidence. I worded that pert badly, I was advised he could claim it and I helped him do that.