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Just recieved my Christmas allowance bonus. Help...


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Old 08-12-2016, 19:20
howard h
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I really don't know what to do with it. Normally I get £62.10/wk carers allowance (yes, that's my only income) but yesterday I received a whole whole £10 extra.

Now, what can I do with it? Top-of-the-range 4k Camera?? Night out in a 5* restaurant? Choices, choices.

Maybe I should frame it and send it back to my MP, he probably needs the money more than me.

Anyhow, all you ultra-rich carers out there; how will you spend your bonus? Enjoy!!

(Oh, there's a little apartment in Monaco for £1.2m - it can go towards that.....)
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Old 08-12-2016, 19:25
Cheetah666
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They should give you an extra week at Christmas. And 62 quid a week is measly anyway.
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Old 08-12-2016, 19:35
howard h
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They should give you an extra week at Christmas. And 62 quid a week is measly anyway.
Just wonder, on the scale of things, is this the lowest weekly *benefit*? How much is JSA these days? Grateful for anything of course, but just how many are there (hidden away) are caring 24/7/52 with very little time off (workers rights? Paid holidays? That's another pair of underpants to clean) and how much are they saving the NHS (to the nearest billion)?

And we can't come out and march as we can't leave our loved ones unattended....
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Old 08-12-2016, 19:40
Nilrem
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IIRC that "Christmas allowance" has remained the same for something like 30 years.

I suspect the original idea was to have it cover some of the normal additional expenses at Christmas, but these days it won't even buy a small turkey crown, or more than a few rolls of wrapping paper.
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Old 08-12-2016, 19:47
howard h
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IIRC that "Christmas allowance" has remained the same for something like 30 years.

I suspect the original idea was to have it cover some of the normal additional expenses at Christmas, but these days it won't even buy a small turkey crown, or more than a few rolls of wrapping paper.
BIB. No idea, but annually the allowance goes up by pennies, and I don't think it's gone up at all in 12 months.
From a taxpayer's point of view, it's not a huge cost to the government - but if we encouraged more people to look after their elders, rather than using homes etc, wouldn't that have the knock-on effect of saving the NHS money, providing more beds outside hospital (preventing bed-blocking) and so on?

Would be interesting to know how much the allowance would have to be to persuade people in employment to leave and take up caring. Someone on £20k is probably not gonnna leave their work and take up caring on £3.2k/yr, would it be cost-effective if the government offered £10k (min)?
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Old 08-12-2016, 19:48
MargMck
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Just wonder, on the scale of things, is this the lowest weekly *benefit*? How much is JSA these days? Grateful for anything of course, but just how many are there (hidden away) are caring 24/7/52 with very little time off (workers rights? Paid holidays? That's another pair of underpants to clean) and how much are they saving the NHS (to the nearest billion)?

And we can't come out and march as we can't leave our loved ones unattended....
It's definitely rubbish money. Mind you, my daughter in law gets £3.40 an hour as Year 1 adult apprentice and is working round the clock on her feet all day. As long as she's kept on she goes up to £7.20 next summer.
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Old 08-12-2016, 19:49
Cheetah666
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Just wonder, on the scale of things, is this the lowest weekly *benefit*? How much is JSA these days? Grateful for anything of course, but just how many are there (hidden away) are caring 24/7/52 with very little time off (workers rights? Paid holidays? That's another pair of underpants to clean) and how much are they saving the NHS (to the nearest billion)?

And we can't come out and march as we can't leave our loved ones unattended....
That's horrible. Carers' allowance in Ireland is 204 euro a week and the Christmas bonus is 85% of your payment. Maybe you should move to Ireland, plus you wouldn't have to deal with Brexit.
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:06
howard h
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That's horrible. Carers' allowance in Ireland is 204 euro a week and the Christmas bonus is 85% of your payment. Maybe you should move to Ireland, plus you wouldn't have to deal with Brexit.
It's a thought! But just as the though of taking them to the Costa Del Sunshine to end their days in the warmth is appealing, unfortunately they are in their late 80's and mum can barely find here way across the room, let alone Benidorm, and dad's virtually armchair bound.

Complete aside, Ireland's a catholic country; as is Italy, and those countries have a history of family looking after their elders (Spain too??) - is that true or just a myth? has today's globalisation and mass-movement changed things if it were true??
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:13
Cheetah666
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It's a thought! But just as the though of taking them to the Costa Del Sunshine to end their days in the warmth is appealing, unfortunately they are in their late 80's and mum can barely find here way across the room, let alone Benidorm, and dad's virtually armchair bound.

Complete aside, Ireland's a catholic country; as is Italy, and those countries have a history of family looking after their elders (Spain too??) - is that true or just a myth? has today's globalisation and mass-movement changed things if it were true??
I didn't realise you were caring for two people - in that case, you would be entitled to 306 euro a week. I'd seriously consider it if I were you, even though its a bit drastic to uproot people in their 80s, how the heck does anybody live on £62.10 per week??

I think there's a lot of truth to the Catholic thing, people try and keep their elderly relatives at home as long as possible. However, its becoming more common to put people in care homes even here.
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:22
howard h
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I didn't realise you were caring for two people - in that case, you would be entitled to 306 euro a week. I'd seriously consider it if I were you, even though its a bit drastic to uproot people in their 80s, how the heck does anybody live on £62.10 per week??

I think there's a lot of truth to the Catholic thing, people try and keep their elderly relatives at home as long as possible. However, its becoming more common to put people in care homes even here.
It's not all bad, both get attendance allowance which - although much is used for outside specialist care for stuff I can't deal with myself such as bathing them - does filter down to me, in effect I get free board and lodgings. It means I can't really contribute to the household bills eg power, but in return they get to stay in their own home and looked after.

Also in two years I get a couple of personal pensions which will mean I lose the carer's allowance but have greater income myself. So, until then, it's lager from Lidl!

All the homework was done r/e finances before I packed the job in; but I do miss my nice little motor. Went to a good home, though.
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:25
Mark_Jones9
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Just wonder, on the scale of things, is this the lowest weekly *benefit*? How much is JSA these days? Grateful for anything of course, but just how many are there (hidden away) are caring 24/7/52 with very little time off (workers rights? Paid holidays? That's another pair of underpants to clean) and how much are they saving the NHS (to the nearest billion)?

And we can't come out and march as we can't leave our loved ones unattended....
Contributions based JSA is time limited to 6 months. It is £57.90 aged 18 to 24, £73.10 aged 25 or older.
Means tested income based JSA is not time limited.

Carer's Allowance is not time limited. It is £62.10. So £11 less than JSA.
Carer's Allowance plus means tested Income Support is £92.50 aged 18 to 24, £107.70 aged 25 or older. So £34.60 more than JSA.

But, if the disabled person is eligibile for severe disability premium £61.85 then they lose that eligibility to severe disability premium if someone is claiming carer's allowance. The severely disabled person has their benefit reduced by £61.85 because the carer gets £62.10 carer's allowance.
So a disabled person plus a carer also claiming means tested income support are £27.25 worse off than a disabled person plus a JSA claimant.

Someone claiming means tested income support as a carer has to periodically attend work focused interviews.

Someone who is claiming JSA but has some caring responsibilities can with their jobcentreplus advisor's agreement place reasonable restrictions on what work they are available for.
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:27
Cheetah666
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It's not all bad, both get attendance allowance which - although much is used for outside specialist care for stuff I can't deal with myself such as bathing them - does filter down to me, in effect I get free board and lodgings. It means I can't really contribute to the household bills eg power, but in return they get to stay in their own home and looked after.

Also in two years I get a couple of personal pensions which will mean I lose the carer's allowance but have greater income myself. So, until then, it's lager from Lidl!

All the homework was done r/e finances before I packed the job in; but I do miss my nice little motor. Went to a good home, though.
Well, that's not quite so bad I spose, but I still think your government are measley with the carers allowance. £10 at Christmas indeed! Scrooge would be proud.

Plus you guys are, as you say, saving the NHS probably billions.
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:28
howard h
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Contributions based JSA is time limited to 6 months. It is £57.90 aged 18 to 24, £73.10 aged 25 or older.
Means tested income based JSA is not time limited.

Carer's Allowance is not time limited. It is £62.10. So £11 less than JSA.
Carer's Allowance plus means tested Income Support is £92.50 aged 18 to 24, £107.70 aged 25 or older. So £34.60 more than JSA.

But, if the disabled person is eligibile for severe disability premium £61.85 then they lose that eligibility to severe disability premium if someone is claiming carer's allowance. The severely disabled person has their benefit reduced by £61.85 because the carer gets £62.10 carer's allowance.
So a disabled person plus a carer also claiming means tested income support are £27.25 worse off than a disabled person plus a JSA claimant.

Someone claiming income support as a carer has to periodically attend work focused interviews.

Someone who is claiming JSA but has some caring responsibilities can with their jobcentreplus advisor's agreement place reasonable restrictions on what work they are available for.
Thanks for that. Dunno the correct term - help - how does the new one-size-fits-all thing come into all this (do you know what I mean??)
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:35
Mark_Jones9
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Thanks for that. Dunno the correct term - help - how does the new one-size-fits-all thing come into all this (do you know what I mean??)
Carer's Allowance is not one of the benefits being replaced by Universal Credit.
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:36
lemoncurd
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I don't confess to understand benefits, but isn't a "carer's allowance" an additional income to cover the costs of having to attend someone who needs assistance in certain tasks?
i.e It isn't a primary form of income and isn't counted as an income for any other benefits, including JSA, state pension etc. So, assuming you are not in education, you should be at least receiving something like JSA or Income Support?
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:42
howard h
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I don't confess to understand benefits, but isn't a "carer's allowance" an additional income to cover the costs of having to attend someone who needs assistance in certain tasks?
i.e It isn't a primary form of income and isn't counted as an income for any other benefits, including JSA, state pension etc. So, assuming you are not in education, you should be at least receiving something like JSA or Income Support?
In my case, it's my ONLY income. It is possible to work up to a certain level AND claim CA, however that's pretty well impossible in my case. What complicates things for me r/e other benefits is I have worked all my life and built up a reasonable amount of savings - which is designed to top up retirement pension and not really to be used now, so I'm above the threshold. Frankly, I'd have been better off spending my money on wild women, wild cars and a useless horse!!
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:51
dosanjh1
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I don't confess to understand benefits, but isn't a "carer's allowance" an additional income to cover the costs of having to attend someone who needs assistance in certain tasks?
i.e It isn't a primary form of income and isn't counted as an income for any other benefits, including JSA, state pension etc. So, assuming you are not in education, you should be at least receiving something like JSA or Income Support?
It is counted as income for the benefits you mention - if the Carer claims JSA or IS, I believe they receive the difference between carers allowance and the benefit claimed.

There is some advantages. CA counts towards national insurance contribution's for state retirement pension. IS passports the claimant for other benefits for example housing benefit and also attracts free school meals, prescription's etc.

The £62 amount is absurdly low considering estimations that carers save the government the equivalent of the NHS annual budget. However the idea of a £10 Xmas bonus is just stupid and needs to be abolished.
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Old 08-12-2016, 20:59
alan29
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Someone should tattoo those numbers across Theresa f*cking Mays forehead before she spouts off again about a fairer society or some other lying shite.
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Old 08-12-2016, 21:31
Mark_Jones9
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I don't confess to understand benefits, but isn't a "carer's allowance" an additional income to cover the costs of having to attend someone who needs assistance in certain tasks?
No carer`s allowance is the carer's income benefit. It is the income the carer is supposed to live on.
To be eligible for carer's allowance the person must be providing 35 hours or more care a week to a person claiming a disability benefit that qualifies them as assessed as needing the care.
i.e It isn't a primary form of income and isn't counted as an income for any other benefits, including JSA, state pension etc. So, assuming you are not in education, you should be at least receiving something like JSA or Income Support?
No it is counted as income and every penny of it is deducted from any means tested income replacement benefit.

In addition to carer's allowance £62.10 carers may also be able to claim
Means tested Income Support £30.40 aged 18 to 24 or £45.60 aged 25 or older
(It is calculated as follows Income Support personal allowance £57.90 aged 18 to 24 or £73.10 aged 25 or older + carer premium £34.60 - income carer's allowance £62.10 = £30.40 aged 18 to 24 or £45.60 aged 25 or older)

Total income benefits carer's allowance £62.10 + means tested income support £30.40 aged 18 to 24 or £45.60 aged 25 or older = £92.50 aged 18 to 24 or £107.70 aged 25 or older.

In addition they maybe able to claim some means tested help towards housing costs either housing benefit or income support mortgage interest support. (There is likely to be a shortfall unless they are living in social housing). Some means tested help towards their council tax through council tax reduction (depending on local authority scheme there maybe a shortfall)
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