New Carer Advice

[John_1510123]

Hello,

My name is John (live in the UK) I am 57 and I am looking into caring for my elderly mother of 84. A friend recommended this site and said this was the place to come for advice.

I am currently in part time employment and want to move my mum into my house, leave my employment and care for her full time so I can give her the best possible life. My sister at the moment receives part time carer allowance (my mum currently lives alone) for my mum but she is looking to move house elsewhere and having talked to my mum she would really like it if she could move in with us.

I have lots of questions and do not really know where to turn can anybody help? I apologise for just putting all these out there but any help anyone can give would really help.

1. What do you need to do to start the process? Do i need to contact my mum's doctors and get letters from them or is it a matter of filling in the application form?

2. I am also worried about the financial side of things, what sort of allowance would i be entitled to if my mum is living with me? I understand every situation is dealt with differently but what things would I be entitled to?

3. If I have savings would this affect anything?

4. My mum currently gets her pension, her widow pension, my late father's private pension and heating allowance will any of this be affected if she were to move in with me?

Thanks a lot

Kind Regards

John

[Melly1]

Hi John,

Welcome to the forum,

For all the financial questions, you are best to contact the carers UK helpline, contact them direct or email them and request a call back.

Others on here care for elderly parents, I'm sure they'll be along shortly.

Melly1

[John_1510123]

Hi Melly1,

Thank you for the reply its good to know there is help out there.

John

[Henrietta]

Hi John and welcome to the forum
From what you say your mother's income would not be affected- her pensions both state and private would not be affected , and I think there would still be entitlement to heating allowance. I think this is determined by age and not liability for payment of electric bills.
If your sister is already claiming carers allowance, there would be no additional entitlement for you. It would only be paid once so up to you and your sister who is main carer.]
You haven't mentioned Attendance Allowance so make sure you claim this for your mum. It is awarded on the basis of needing help and is not means tested. Thinking again , I imagine your mum already gets this or else your sister wouldn't be able to receive CA.
Sounds like your mum with her 3 pension pots is likely to be over the threshold for SS help towards care bills. I think the threshold is between £23-£27K- I forget the exact figure but if she has savings in excess of this there will be no financial help towards care bills.
If she vacates her own home "for the purposes of receiving care" and has no intention of selling, it may be worth looking into a CTAX discount on her old home.

[g.herschel]

be careful .. do you own your own home or rent ? does your mother own her own home or rent ? the sale of her home will of course be an asset as will any savings she may have, if in the future you cant manage your mother may need social care the cap for the elderly paying for social care was set at £72-000 that's what the elderly person would pay before the state steps in and pays for social care but the present government have postponed the implementation of the social care cap till 2020 ? , therefore the elderly will pay for their social care be it at home or in residential care till they are left with under £30-000 remember if in residential care the elderly alongside social care costs have to pay for their room this is now often called the hotel costs .the carers allowance is not a means tested benefit ( for now) to be able to claim the carers allowance your mother must have the attendance allowance or other qualifying benefits , the winter fuel allowance is not just for gas but for your heating in general ..carers claiming the carers allowance have to pay for prescriptions + dental/optical care if your mother lives with you and the home is adapted or she needs the use of a wheelchair the council tax is reduced by one band if you are on the lowest band a cash reduction will be made also as a carer living with the person you care for but are not a spouse / partner a further 25% discount on the council tax is available f your mother is hospitalised her disability benefit may be removed which may affect your carers allowance in the future .....it`s a minefield tread carefully ..

[John_1510123]

Hi,
Thank you all for the posts. Really does help.

My mum currently lives in rented accommodation so there will be no selling of property.

Thanks again

John