How Many Carers Claiming CA?

Replies

By Sparhawk73

Re: How Many Carers Claiming CA?
Sun 3 Feb 2008 14:43

Hi Cheryl as you say CA should be raised but then for people like me who do not work theat would impact on my Income support cutting that by how much i do not know . they have to find away to give but not punish with the other hand . Thia is a way for the goverment to again hurt the carers in a indirect way.

Jason (sparhawk73)

By Bagheera1

Re: How Many Carers Claiming CA?
Sun 3 Feb 2008 17:20

Hi Cheryl & Sparhawk

Speaking personally, I spent EIGHT YEARS as my wife's (UNPAID!) full-time carer, and applied average 2 or 3 times EACH year for CA, refused each time ..... "We're broke, we've got no money .... and you've managed to do the job WITHOUT our help until now, you can carry on....."
Sound Familiar?
Don't even get me started on the 6 REFUSALS and subsequent appeals ref. DLA when my own health deteriorated rapidly (as a direct result of doing EVERYTHING of the jobs we once SHARED) and I had to accept early retirement [@ 55] and Incap Ben of c. £70 p.w.

When the Benefit Maximisation Team recently visited [and please note, they INVITED THEMSELVES - I didn't know they EXISTED!] they promised to get me a better deal.

Result? A letter saying: "We have just discovered that we have OVERPAID you for x months .... in future you will receive £59 p.w. UNTIL THE DEBT HAS BEEN REPAID"

Benefit Maximisation Team? Whose Benefit? Maximum for WHOM?

By CHERYL THE PERIL

Re: How Many Carers Claiming CA?
Sun 3 Feb 2008 18:06

Hi Sparhawk and Bagheera

So do you think in the case of Carers in particular, instead of messing about with all these different benefits, plus the over-lapping benefit rules sabourtaging any financial progress Carers try to make.

Would a Social Wage, (obviously set at a higher rate than the CA) be a better option?

Wouldn't it be simpler to administer?

Do you think Carers deserve the "recognition"
that they are unique within the benefit system?

I say Carers are unique because we are the only benefit claiments that have to be "doing" something for the benefit CA?
Every other claiment has only to "be" sick, unemployed, disabled.
I don't mean "only" in a derogotory way, or that other claiments don't deserve their benefit.
But Carers are the only ones to have to be doing something, so wouldn't it be more appropriate to "name" Carers benefit as some kind of wage, rather than a benefit?

Cheryl x

By Sparhawk73

Re: How Many Carers Claiming CA?
Sun 3 Feb 2008 18:46

Hi Cheryl , What you are saying is sound and sensable but we are talking about a goverment that when it comes to their own house they can not be trusted. A Carers Wage would be fine but there are pitfalls ould have to make a new dept to deal with it and then there is the part to say who should get it and not they would make it hard for carers who work to get it and then there probaly be a age limit like 60/65 so then thouse ppl whould miss out . I am not trying to be negative but looking at it how the powers that be would..

P.s I have worked out that with my monthly CA and weekly Income Supp i am getting just under £700 a month which when i was working i was lucky to take home £500 to £600 because i was at home instead of work. That is not taking in to count HB , CT and Lou's DLA. which with them would be £1 700 a month approx ..

Hope you under stand where i am coming from?

Jason (sparhawk73)

By Bagheera1

Re: How Many Carers Claiming CA?
Mon 4 Feb 2008 21:23

"Overpaid @ £72/wk ..... repay debt, and exist on £59/wk.... "

Yet on today's evening news the DWP say that anyone living on LESS THAN £149/wk is officially BELOW the 'Poverty Line'

Who'se telling the truth?????????