Carer's Allowance Application

Plugguy

Hi, I wonder if anybody can help me?
When applying for Carer's Allowance, do I need to give
the doctor the full and completed application form or do I only need
to give him the Medical Report section of the form?

njs030

Its up to you and the doctor there's no rules about it.

Balagan

What is required is that the Doctor gets Sections A and B of the Medical Report.

Plugguy

Thanks guys.

tinofapples

Sorry for piggy backing the thread but didn't see the point in starting a new one for one query, does the person carrying out the caring need to be living within a certain distance of the person receiving the care ? My mother has been in hospital for a few weeks now and she will need a carer to assist her with daily jobs. I live 38 miles and am in employment but I'm exploring options here. My other siblings live abroad.

Thanks

infogiver

tinofapples wrote: »

Sorry for piggy backing the thread but didn't see the point in starting a new one for one query, does the person carrying out the caring need to be living within a certain distance of the person receiving the care ? My mother has been in hospital for a few weeks now and she will need a carer to assist her with daily jobs. I live 38 miles and am in employment but I'm exploring options here. My other siblings live abroad.

Thanks

Here are some elements the Dept will be looking at in your application:

You need to be caring for your mother full time. Are you going to be travelling the 38 miles over and back every day ?
If your going back to your own home at night what arrangements will you put in place for her if she needs help when your gone?
Full time care and attention in the case of elderly means that she needs a lot of assistance with her personal care(washing, dressing, meals, medication, mobility, going to the toilet etc). Will she need this?
Daily jobs such as house work and shopping etc in themselves wouldn't satisfy the "full time care and attention " criteria.

tinofapples

infogiver wrote: »

Here are some elements the Dept will be looking at in your application:

You need to be caring for your mother full time. Are you going to be travelling the 38 miles over and back every day ?
If your going back to your own home at night what arrangements will you put in place for her if she needs help when your gone?
Full time care and attention in the case of elderly means that she needs a lot of assistance with her personal care(washing, dressing, meals, medication, mobility, going to the toilet etc). Will she need this?
Daily jobs such as house work and shopping etc in themselves wouldn't satisfy the "full time care and attention " criteria.

Mobility is the huge issue with my mother, I would be travelling the route daily and probably overnighting a couple of nights a week. She does need the assistance you speak of but convincing someone that may not be easy. She's in respite atm after a couple of falls in the house.

My understanding was that the carer would have to be within a certain distance/time of the person been cared for but I was told otherwise during the week by a neighbour of mine who happens to be a Family Support Worker.

njs030

tinofapples wrote: »

Mobility is the huge issue with my mother, I would be travelling the route daily and probably overnighting a couple of nights a week. She does need the assistance you speak of but convincing someone that may not be easy. She's in respite atm after a couple of falls in the house.

My understanding was that the carer would have to be within a certain distance/time of the person been cared for but I was told otherwise during the week by a neighbour of mine who happens to be a Family Support Worker.

From welfare.ie-

The person receiving care is regarded as requiring full-time care and attention where

He or she is so incapacitated as to require continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself or continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions, and
He or she is so incapacitated as to be likely to require full-time care and attention for a period of at least 12 months.

I think you'd find it very hard to claim continuous supervision when you're 38 miles away and your mother is left alone for long periods of time.
You can split the payment with another person I think so perhaps thats the way to go?

tinofapples

notjustsweet wrote: »

From welfare.ie-

The person receiving care is regarded as requiring full-time care and attention where

He or she is so incapacitated as to require continuous supervision in order to avoid danger to him or herself or continual supervision and frequent assistance throughout the day in connection with normal bodily functions, and
He or she is so incapacitated as to be likely to require full-time care and attention for a period of at least 12 months.

I think you'd find it very hard to claim continuous supervision when you're 38 miles away and your mother is left alone for long periods of time.
You can split the payment with another person I think so perhaps thats the way to go?

I think you'd find it very hard to claim continuous supervision when you're 38 miles away and your mother is left alone for long periods of time.

Agreed

amtc

Not necessarily. A friend of mine qualifies for carers allowance for her father ...she lives in Cork and her dad in .uk, but flies over twice a month and spends two weeks over there.

njs030

amtc wrote: »

Not necessarily. A friend of mine qualifies for carers allowance for her father ...she lives in Cork and her dad in .uk, but flies over twice a month and spends two weeks over there.

That's obviously not true because you have to be resident in the UK to claim carers allowance there and care for the person for 35 hours a week minimum.

https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-benefits/carers-allowance

amtc

It is completely true. I don't know the ins and outs of it but she did tell me it was on citizens advice. She too was mystified

njs030

amtc wrote: »

It is completely true. I don't know the ins and outs of it but she did tell me it was on citizens advice. She too was mystified

She's claiming in the UK while living in Ireland and defrauding the British state? Or claiming in Ireland for someone who doesn't live here? Either way it's fraud.

ETA can you provide a link to that claim please?

infogiver

amtc wrote: »

Not necessarily. A friend of mine qualifies for carers allowance for her father ...she lives in Cork and her dad in .uk, but flies over twice a month and spends two weeks over there.

It's just not possible that someone is getting Carers Allowance here in respect of someone living outside the State, unless there is some massive fraud.
If there is fraud going on it will be discovered and all the money will have to be paid back

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Carers-Allowance.aspx#part3
Read this. If the person being cared for or the carer leaves the state then there is no more entitlement to Carers Allowance

tinofapples

If your going back to your own home at night what arrangements will you put in place for her if she needs help when your gone?

We're in the process of getting a panic alarm for her in the house as well, which will probably be calling a neighbour primarily in the case of emergency.

tinofapples

tinofapples wrote: »

Sorry for piggy backing the thread but didn't see the point in starting a new one for one query, does the person carrying out the caring need to be living within a certain distance of the person receiving the care ? My mother has been in hospital for a few weeks now and she will need a carer to assist her with daily jobs. I live 38 miles and am in employment but I'm exploring options here. My other siblings live abroad.

Thanks

You can only work 15 hours a week. Not sure if there is a distance limit. Would your Mum be entitled to home help?

"To be entitled to a Carer's Allowance you must:

Be living with, or in a position to provide full-time care and attention to a person in need of care who does not normally live in an institution. However, you may continue to be regarded as providing full-time care and attention, if you or the person being cared for is undergoing medical or other treatment in a hospital or other institution for a period not longer than 13 weeks.
Be habitually resident in the State.
Not live in a hospital, convalescent home or other similar institution.
Be at least 18 years old and
Not be engaged in employment, self-employment, training or education courses outside the home for more than 15 hours a week. During your absence, adequate care for the person requiring full-time care and attention must be arranged." http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/carers/carers_allowance.html http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/olderpeople/homecarepackages/

tinofapples

Deleted User wrote: »

You can only work 15 hours a week. Not sure if there is a distance limit. Would your Mum be entitled to home help?

"To be entitled to a Carer's Allowance you must:

Be living with, or in a position to provide full-time care and attention to a person in need of care who does not normally live in an institution. However, you may continue to be regarded as providing full-time care and attention, if you or the person being cared for is undergoing medical or other treatment in a hospital or other institution for a period not longer than 13 weeks.
Be habitually resident in the State.
Not live in a hospital, convalescent home or other similar institution.
Be at least 18 years old and
Not be engaged in employment, self-employment, training or education courses outside the home for more than 15 hours a week. During your absence, adequate care for the person requiring full-time care and attention must be arranged." http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/carers/carers_allowance.html http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/olderpeople/homecarepackages/

My Mum has been in UCHG and now Merlin Park for over 5 weeks now, I've brought her home with me for the Easter weekend and I wouldn't be at all confident of her leaving the care she's in atm as she's very unsteady and weak with her walk. Two weeks ago she was told she'd be there till the 20th of April but I'm gonna insist that she doesn't get released as she is. I've been advised by a social worker I know to play hard ball and that I intend to do.

tinofapples

tinofapples wrote: »

My Mum has been in UCHG and now Merlin Park for over 5 weeks now, I've brought her home with me for the Easter weekend and I wouldn't be at all confident of her leaving the care she's in atm as she's very unsteady and weak with her walk. Two weeks ago she was told she'd be there till the 20th of April but I'm gonna insist that she doesn't get released as she is. I've been advised by a social worker I know to play hard ball and that I intend to do.

It is vitally important to think of yourself too. If you're too overstretched and stressed, you're no good to either yourself or your Mum. Push hard and you will get the help you need.

Balagan

Since the subject has arisen as a side issue, it might be helpful to note that the rules for qualifying for Carers Allowance in the UK differ significantly from those in this country with regard to residency and hours of care.

In the case Commission of the European Communities v the European Parliament and the Council [2007] ECR I-8695 the European Court of Justice ruled that the following benefits should be paid to people who move from the UK to another country within the European Economic Area:

the care component of disability living allowance (DLA)
attendance allowance (AA)
carer’s allowance (CA) https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/payment-dla-aa-and-carers-allowance-abroad

Residence and presence in UK
There are presence and residence conditions that apply. You must be
habitually resident in the UK, not subject to immigration control and you
must have been in Great Britain for 104 weeks out of the 156 weeks
prior to your claim. These rules may not apply to members of the armed
forces and some people who live in or have lived in EEA states or
Switzerland.

...It does not matter whether care is given during the day, evening, night or
weekend, as long as it comes to at least 35 hours a week. A week is a
period of seven days beginning on a Sunday. There is no firm definition
of the type of care that must be given. http://www.ageuk.org.uk/Documents/EN-GB/Factsheets/FS55_Carer's_Allowance_fcs.pdf?dtrk=true

tinofapples

Deleted User wrote: »

It is vitally important to think of yourself too. If you're too overstretched and stressed, you're no good to either yourself or your Mum. Push hard and you will get the help you need.

Thank you