Money matters more than ever when you are caring for someone. Carers may find that they are:
- unable to work.
- living on less money
- faced with decisions that will affect money in the future, for example in the area of pensions
- experiencing poverty because of being a long-term carer
- needing to sort out debt problems.
Many carers do not claim enough benefits or discounts for themselves because the benefit system is complex and they do not know what to claim. However, even carers who are working may be able to claim some benefits.
Carer's allowance
Who can get carer's allowance?
The main benefit for carers is called carer's allowance. You may be able to get carer's allowance if you are aged 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a person getting attendance allowance, or disability living allowance (at the middle or highest rate for personal care), or constant attendance allowance (at or above the normal maximum rate with an industrial injuries disablement benefit, or basic (full day) rate with a war disablement pension).
You cannot get carer's allowance if you are in full-time education with 21 hours or more a week of supervised study or earn more than (£95 a week in 2008) after certain deductions have been made.
Claiming carer's allowance can help with National Insurance contributions and helps build up the second state pension. However the rules are complicated and in some circumstances claiming carer's allowance can lead to the person you care for losing some of their benefit.
It is important that you receive advice from a specialist in welfare benefits advice before you make any claim for carer's allowance.
Other benefits that a carer may be able to claim include:
- income support
- housing benefit and council tax benefit
- working tax credit
- child tax credit
- council tax exemptions.
You and the person you care for may be entitled to financial benefits, some of which are not means tested. Below are some of the places you can get help. It is important to get advice as the benefits system is complex.
- National Benefits Free Line 0800 882200
- Lewisham Disability Coalition – for local help including form filling contact 020 8314 1414
- Evelyn 190 centre – for local help including form filling 020 8691 7180
- Carers Lewisham – for local help including form filling 020 8699 8686.