Struggling to look after ourselves

smc3009

Hi, can any one help please. I receive DLA higher rate motability and lower rate at home, retired on I’ll health a few years ago ,my husband used to help, but he has passed away now, My daughter lives with me ,on ESA support and higher rate care PIP. Has mobility problems as well, as fibromyalgia.We are struggling to look  after ourselves, some days we have trouble getting meals .My daughter is only 41 and I’m 64. We cannot get attendance allowance as we are both under 65. And looking into careers allowance, we are not sure if we can get that. Normally a friend or relation pops in if we both need help.we have a cleaner, shoppings is delivered most of the time. Can we claim anything?

steve51

Hi @smc3009

Good Evening & Welcome ? 

We have got a  "Benefit Calculator"  on our site  

https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/benefits/check

Please please let me know if you need any further help??? 

Pippa_Alumni

Hi @smc3009, and a warm welcome to the community!

Thanks for sharing this with us, and I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds as though you're all coping with a lot at the moment and could use some assistance.

Have you had a needs assessment to see whether there's any support your local authority can offer? You may also be interested in this list of extra money and help PIP entitles you to.

poppy123456

Hi,

Apart from DLA what other benefits do you claim for yourself? Does anyone else live in the house with you or is it just the 2 of you?

smc3009

ESA support but only get £26, as I get my late husbands pension. According to benefits people, once I’ve paid out all the bills, I have £100 a week to live on, how they worked that out, I’ve no idea. Petrol has to go in the car, food in the cupboard etc, I don’t smoke or drink, but there isn’t much left by the end of the month. 

poppy123456

I'm assuming you were claiming Income Related ESA but your husbands pension reduces this £1 for £1.

Does anyone else live with you and your daughter? You didn't answer that question. If it's just the 2 of you then are you both claiming the Severe disability premium on top of your ESA? This is an extra £64.30 per week for each of you. If you're not sure then please check your latest award letter to see if it includes this premium. It's better to claim this premium than it is to claim carers allowance but you can't claim them at the same time.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/help/severe-disability-premium

Also just so you know Attendance allowance is a disability benefit similar to DLA and PIP.

Also be award that as you're still claiming DLA you'll soon be invited to apply for PIP. DLA no longer exists for all those that were 65 and under on 8th April 2013.

smc3009

Hi, yes I knew DLA replaced PIP. My daughter gets PIP, I’m still on DLA indefinitely. I’m 65 this year. only my daughter and me live together. She is 41. 

poppy123456

Then as advised please check your ESA awards for the severe disability premium, if it's not added then you should claim it because it's an extra £64.30 per week for each of you and it's paid on top of your ESA.

As your daughter is in the Support Group then the amount she should be claiming each week is £191.45, which would be £382.90 every 2 weeks, if she doesn't have any deductions for anything. Your ESA is different because of the pension deductions.

If she's not claiming this amount then she'll need to ring ESA to ask to claim SDP, it can be backdated to the date she qualified.

smc3009

Thank you, will ask her