Should carers have to be looking for work? — Scope | Disability forum
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Should carers have to be looking for work?

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margaretrose66
margaretrose66 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
edited January 2017 in Benefits and financial support
I suffer with fibromyalgia .arthritis. Fused left ankle and depression  and other illness .my  son has claimed careers to look after me and income support but been told by job centre he's got to look for work even this he looking after me more than 35 hours a week I get full  mobility and care .and got to for a interview at  job centre . I can't cope with out him .is this right .
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  • Sam_Alumni
    Sam_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,671 Disability Gamechanger
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    Hi @margaretrose66 welcome to the community, I have moved your post to the Ask A Benefits advisor category so you can get some information and support from an expert.

    There is lots of information about Carers Allowance here too.

    Scope
    Senior online community officer
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  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
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    Hi margaretrose66

    If your son is in receipt of carer's allowance and claims income support as a carer then no he should not have to look for work or have to be available for work. You say the job centre told him he's got to look for work but how did they do this? have they written to him ?

    Best wishes

    Paul
    The Benefits Training Co:

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  • Scotsfolk
    Scotsfolk Community member Posts: 7 Listener
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    In new to the site and find it a bit confusing, Id like to ask a benefits question, am I in the right area ? 
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  • margaretrose66
    margaretrose66 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
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    Thankyou for your reply my son had to go for a interview at the local job centre , , they said he can work  with claiming careers  and earn so mush a week , my son was working and decided to  look after me   and moved in . Just waiting now see if job center right a letter to him . He put in a claim for both last week  . .. 
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  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
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    margaretrose66,

    I can confirm that on carer's allowance and income support nobody can be made to look for work. If he has decided not to work to look after you then that is fine.

    He can get carer's allowance if you get either the daily living component of PIP (at any level) or the middle or higher care component of DLA. Assuming he isn't working, he can get income support as well. (There is the possibility of him doing part-time work, but he absolutely does NOT have to do this).

    The Jobcentre can require him to go to work-focused interviews to discuss whether he is thinking of work, and he should go to these and have a chat with them, because if he doesn't, he may not get the full rate of his Income Support (this is called a sanction).

    But just to be clear, he doesn't have to look for work, he doesn't have to take a job, and if he feels the Jobcentre are putting him under pressure to do this he should complain. All he has to do is turn up to the interviews and 'comply' - that means he should have a chat with them & answer their questions, take part in the discussion, but he does NOT have to go into work now.

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

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  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Community member Posts: 2,621 Pioneering
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    PS @Scotsfolk
    Yes, you're in the right area. Can you start a new post with your query, and me or one of my colleagues will look at it? Thanks.

    Will
    The Benefits Training Co:

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  • Scotsfolk
    Scotsfolk Community member Posts: 7 Listener
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    Thanks Will
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