[senco-forum] Carers Allowance

I have been asked by the parent of a child with severe ADHD if they

> I have been asked by the parent of a child with severe ADHD if they
> qualifeid for the carers allowance...

Here's the relevant paragraph from a guide on the truly excellent
'Benefits and Work' website;

  Carer’s Allowance This is help for people caring for someone who
  gets either Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance care
  component at the middle or higher. You must spend at least 35 hours
  a week providing care and your net earnings from any work, after
  deductions and allowable expenses, must not be more than £87 a week
  (from April 07). You can get Carer’s Allowance even if you are
  getting Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance for
  yourself.

  Age: you must be aged at least 16 to receive
  Carer’s Allowance. There is no upper age limit.

  Savings: any capital
  you have doesn't affect your eligibility for Carer’s Allowance.

  Work: you can work and claim Carers Allowance, as long as you don't
  go over the earnings limit.

For more detailed information on claiming this and other disability
related benefits I can thoroughly recommend 'Benefits and Work', which
you'll find at  www.benefitsandwork.co.uk

Claiming these benefits can be a bit of a lottery (most likely you'll
loose out) if you don't know what you are doing. Indeed filling in the
form can feel like taking an exam without the benefit of having
received any prior teaching or even access to a syllabus or schema to
revise from.

The latest Disability Living Allowance (adults) form is also now 47
pages long! So it's best to get some good advice (from your local CAB,
for example) before embarking on the usually several day long task of
detailed form-filling ...yes there's lots of writing involved as the
forms require a great deal more input than simply 'ticking boxes'.

...but it's worth it in the end as the money you are entitled to
receive can make a substantial difference especially to those living
on a low income.

Hope this helps,

David Bowles