Money and benefits

Caring for someone can lead to money worries, especially if your caring role means you have to give up work. But as a carer, it’s possible you could be eligible for financial support including Carer’s Allowance or Carer’s Pension Credit.  Another thing to consider is to get a review of any financial support that the person you are caring for is receiving.  Also covered in this section is finding and paying for care.

Carer’s Allowance and other benefits

If you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone with an illness or disability and are not earning more than a certain amount a week, you could potentially be eligible for Carer’s Allowance – if you’re in receipt of State Pension, this would instead be Carers Premium, a pension credit for carers. You do not need to live with the person you are caring for, but the person you care for must be receiving certain welfare benefits.

Carer’s Allowance will not stop certain disability benefits (such as Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance) that the person you care for is receiving, but it can potentially impact on certain components of these benefits. It can also impact other welfare benefits they are receiving or could potentially receive if they are eligible. It’s important to work out what’s best overall for you both.

Islington Carers Hub can help you understand the process of applying for benefits, information about different types of benefits or how to go about managing debt.  We can also help you if you are struggling with filling in forms, getting the right documents together or getting to an appointment.

We can also refer you to local services that can provide: a benefits check, provide specialist benefits advice, or help you to make an appeal.

Giving up work

Many people can struggle to combine their caring responsibilities with their work. Giving up work is a massive step with many pros and cons to consider financially, practically and emotionally. As a working carer, you have rights within the workplace – the right to request flexible working, the right to time off to care for dependents and the right to not be discriminated against. Whilst you can request this, it is not an obligation on the part of the company.

See the Carers UK ‘Your Rights in Work’ guide below.

Islington Carers Hub can provide guidance about local services that can provide: specialist benefits advice, legal advice about your rights as a carer, or help in the case of a dispute.

Struggling financially

There might be other benefits or tax credits that you could also be eligible for and other financial assistance, e.g. utility discounts, council tax discounts or winter warmth grants that you could apply for. If you are in debt, there are ‘priority debts’ that you should try to sort out before other debts.

Islington Carers Hub can make sure that you’re aware of the benefits that you could be eligible for and help you apply for discounts and grants. We can refer you to specialist debt management services and identify potential one-off or temporary help with urgent living costs including emergency food support.

Finding and paying for care

If caring becomes too much for you, you can consider paying for care. This could be residential care or care at home. Social care is not always free and most people will have to contribute to the cost of care. The amount you pay depends on the level of need and the amount of income and assets the person you’re caring for has.

You can request a Care Needs Assessment from your local council Adult Social Care service. This helps to decide the level of support that the person you are caring for requires. They will then do a Financial Assessment.

Islington Carers Hub can make referrals for Islington residents to have a Care Needs Assessment, or you (or they) can contact Adult Social Care directly.  If the person you are caring for lives outside of Islington, then you’ll need to contact their local council.

Carer parking permits

As a carer for an Islington resident, following a Carer’s Assessment, you will be able to purchase a Carers Parking Permit for the Islington parking zone where the person you care for lives. Applicants do not need to live in Islington to apply for a Carer’s Parking Permit. A Carer’s Assessment will also look at any other support needs you may have as a carer.

Contact Islington Carers Hub

For more information or if you have any questions, get in touch with us on 020 7281 3319 or email info@islingtoncarershub.org.