Looking after mum

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ksenia89bf
ksenia89bf Online Community Member Posts: 26 Connected
in Benefits and income
My friend looks after her mum 80 hours a week and because her mum doesn't get -

PIP, DLA disability benefits

My friend is not entitled to anything, so my friend refuses to sign on. 

Always when I was working, because I was earning one pence more than £50.00 my friend wasn't allowed to claim no money at all. 

I feel sorry for her, looked after father when he had dementia and still no help from DWP. 

Can someone advice me what help if any my kind-hearted friend can claim for. 

(*´︶`*)♡Thanks!  Marc 🕴👨‍🎓😊

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    If the mother has a health condition they can look at claiming PIP if they are aged between 16 and state pension.
    If they are over state pension age then it will be Attendance Allowance they can claim. https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/eligibility
    ksenia89bf said:


    Always when I was working, because I was earning one pence more than £50.00 my friend wasn't allowed to claim no money at all. 


    Can you explain what you mean by this? Unless you're living as a couple then the money you earn will have no affect on any benefits your friend maybe entitled to.

    They can use a benefits calculator to check entitlement to Universal Credit. If they live with a partner they need to claim as a couple and their joint circumstances will be taken into consideration.


  • ksenia89bf
    ksenia89bf Online Community Member Posts: 26 Connected
    Her mum is 80 years old and has been told by the DWP, can only get Attendance Allowance if her mum claims PIP. 

    Her mum gets state pension and pension credit. 

    When I first started work, going back 33 years ago, my friend who was my ex girlfriend was told because we were living together and earned more than £50.00 a week, my ex-girlfriend wasn't entitled to no benefits. 

    Now my ex-girlfriend looks after her mum 80 hours a week, does it because it's her mum, my friend is like me, we have traditional and old-fashioned ways of looking after family. 

    When we were younger our families was there for us, so as they get older we return the favor and look after them. 

    My friend has always been scared if they claim different benefits with her mum, what will she loose. Last time the benefits asked her about claiming other benefits, her mum would be £2.00 a week better off. 

    They always give with one hand and take with the other, 

    I feel sorry for those elderly people who have worked all their lives, save for a rainy day. 








  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    edited June 2022
    ksenia89bf said:
    Her mum is 80 years old and has been told by the DWP, can only get Attendance Allowance if her mum claims PIP. 


    That's not correct at all. The last place anyone should go to for benefits advice is DWP. They administer benefits, they don't give benefits advice.

    She can't claim PIP because she's above state pension age. If she claims AA it will be a claim for AA. If her mum starts a claim for AA and she was successful then her daughter can claim Carers allowance for looking after her.

    ksenia89bf said:

    When I first started work, going back 33 years ago, my friend who was my ex girlfriend was told because we were living together and earned more than £50.00 a week, my ex-girlfriend wasn't entitled to no benefits. 


    At the time it was because you were living together as a couple. When claiming any means tested benefits your joint circumstances are taken into consideration.
    ksenia89bf said:


    My friend has always been scared if they claim different benefits with her mum, what will she loose. Last time the benefits asked her about claiming other benefits, her mum would be £2.00 a week better off. 


    That's not correct. If your friend won't claim benefits with her mum because she's her mum so their benefit entitlement would be completely separate.

    ksenia89bf said:

    My friend is not entitled to anything, so my friend refuses to sign on. 


    Why is she not entitled to any benefits? Does she have savings/capital of more than £16,000? Does she live with a partner that works so they're not entitled to any benefits?

    As i advised in my previous comment, she can use a benefits calculator to check entitlement to Universal Credit.
  • ksenia89bf
    ksenia89bf Online Community Member Posts: 26 Connected
    I have worked for the DWP, even though I looked after young mothers with children, something which I loved. 

    My friend can not claim universal Credit, this benefit is for people looking for work. 

    My friend looks after her mum. 
  • ksenia89bf
    ksenia89bf Online Community Member Posts: 26 Connected
    When someone was asking me for advice when I was working for the DWP. 

    Even though some people get frustrated by repeating themselves with the same information. 

    I didn't mind repeating the same information to mothers, explaining in detail what to do. 

    I was more rewarded for being kind-hearted and caring to mothers and children. 
  • calcotti
    calcotti Online Community Member Posts: 10,001 Championing
    edited June 2022
    ksenia89bf said: My friend can not claim universal Credit, this benefit is for people looking for work. 
    That's not correct. It's not just for people looking for work. It's for anybody on a low income. They could be looking for work (the old income based JSA), have an illness that limits their ability to work (the old income based ESA) or be caring for somebody (the old Income Support).

    However if mum is not claiming a disability benefit your friend is likely to be treated as a job seeker, although her work coach should take into account her caring responsibilities. If mum were to clam a disability benefit then, as a carer, the friend would not be expected to look for work.

    The mum really should apply for Attendance Allowance.

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