Caring for someone can be a strain on your finances at the best of times. But with the current cost of living crisis making things more difficult for everyone, it’s vitally important that you know what financial support you, and the person you care for, are entitled to.
Claire*, a retired teacher who cares for her husband Barry*, who has mobility and cognition issues, as well as caring for her mother, tells us how the support she received from Carers First has helped to lighten the load of the cost of caring, by supporting the couple to increase their income by claiming benefits they didn’t know they were entitled to.
At 63, Claire took early retirement as she was finding it difficult juggling full time work with caring for Barry and her mother, whilst also managing her own health conditions.
Barry, who has physical and sensory needs was also diagnosed with a cognitive impairment in the summer of 2020 after months of trying to get a diagnosis that would provide the couple with some answers. “The diagnosis took six months, rather than the usual six weeks due to admin errors, which added a lot of strain for both of us.”
When Barry was finally seen at the memory clinic, he was advised to go home and “eat more almonds”. He was not prescribed any medication and there were no follow up appointments made or advice given. “I felt like we had been abandoned to sink or swim.”
Through a previous work role, Claire had come into contact with Carers First and decided to contact us for advice. Claire, who lives with physical and sensory impairments herself, whilst caring for her mum and Barry, said she didn’t know that she and Barry were able to claim financial support and assumed that, due to their private pensions, they wouldn’t be entitled to any benefit support. However, as disability benefits are not means tested, anyone with eligible needs can claim.
Reaching out
Carers First who put her in touch with specialist benefits advisers, supported her to apply for Attendance Allowance for Barry, who is now receiving the full rate.
“We applied for Carers Allowance for Barry, and he’s began to receive that which has been a great help to us.”
Because of her own health conditions, Claire has also been awarded Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in her own right, which helps her to pay for the extra costs of getting out and about. The enhanced mobility element of PIP also entitles her to claim free car tax providing a further extension of financial support.
With Barry needing assistance to attend multiple hospitals across Essex and beyond, and Claire managing her own health conditions herself, claiming these entitlements have enabled them to meet the rising costs of travel whilst reducing a lot of financial worry for them both.
“I receive a private pension and therefore I don’t qualify for any means tested benefits, so I was surprised that there was financial support available to us.”
Providing ongoing support to Claire in her caring journey, Carers First also suggested that she register as a carer at her GP surgery. Claire connected with a social prescriber at her surgery; after a health check she was identified as being pre-diabetic and referred to a dietician – “I was in floods of tears as I was under so much stress and this was just added to the load. But I knew I needed to begin to accept support.”
“Carers First helped me to contact social services to
request a carer’s assessment for myself and a care needs assessment for Barry with the Older Adults Mental Health team and Community Agents, who have been fabulous in getting support for Barry.
I’m also now being supported to register a carer’s emergency plan in the event that I may be unable to care for him, which adds further peace of mind for in the event of ‘what if’.
“When it was first suggested that I contact social services, it felt like a complete no-no. I was worried that they would say I couldn’t cope and we didn’t want anyone interfering in our lives and considered it an invasion of our privacy. But I learned to lower the barriers to help me to focus on what our priorities are.”
Making the most
Being a strongly independent person, Claire found the hardest thing for her was asking for help when she was always used to dealing with everything herself. However, Claire soon recognised asking for help as a strength and began to learn about the range of support that open to them individually and as a couple when they began to reach out.
Claire, who understands how isolating caring can be, says:
“Our family live abroad and since Barry’s diagnosis, I’ve learned that some friends will step up, whilst some will head for the hills. So, it’s great to know that there is help out there from charities like Carers First who can connect you to the support you need, even if it’s just talking things through with someone who understands how challenging caring can be. Especially when you have health conditions yourself.”
Both active and social members of their community, the couple regularly attend a local U3A (University of the Third Age) group for company and creative activities including games, art and exercise classes. Claire says that they go to as many local activities as they can to keep them both stimulated. “Barry is a retired sports coach and still likes to keep active. A lot of the people who attend the activities have experience of caring so it’s good to be around people who understand and help to keep an eye on him.”
Claire’s advice for other carers
Claire says: “Looking after yourself enables you to better concentrate on the things which are important. Go out and don’t lose sight of your own interests. Don’t be afraid of accessing support or finding out what you’re entitled to. You’d be surprised what support there is out there. And don’t give up – you may not find the right support the first time, but keep asking and follow up every service that you hear about – it can lead on to something else that helps”.
Often, taking on a caring role also means that your finances can be hit hard. The benefits system can be complicated, with each benefit having its own set of rules, so working out what you might be entitled to when your income changes can feel like a challenge. We know that having the right information and support can make a huge difference. To view a quick summary of the key benefits for carers, visit our website here.
*Names have been changed
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