ALLOWANCES

1. ALLOWANCES Laurene Whitfield

2. Disability Living Allowance • Tax-free benefit for children and adults under 65 who need help with personal care or walking difficulties because of physical or mental disability • Two components: care and mobility • May get one or both

3. Eligibility for DLA Care Component • Disability severe enough for you to: Need help with washing, dressing etc. Need supervision to avoid putting yourself in danger Need someone with you while you are on dialysis Be unable to prepare a cooked main meal for yourself (over 16)

4. Eligibility cont’d • Has to have been the case for at least 3 months + likely to be for the next 6 months (unless terminally ill). • Eligible even if not receiving the care you need • A child must need a lot more help or supervision than other children of the same age • Child can receive it from the age of 3 months

5. Eligibility cont’d • Generally must be normally resident in the UK, be here when you claim and generally not subject to immigration controls- there are some exceptions (e.g. family members of EEA nationals, nationals of countries that have equal-treatment agreements with the EU, armed forces serving abroad)

6. Rates • Three rates: • Lowest: need supervision for some of day or unable to prepare a cooked meal • Middle: Frequent personal care or continuous supervision throughout day only, or the same at night only, or supervision for dialysis • Highest: supervision during day and night

7. What do you get? • Lowest rate: 18.65 a week • Middle rate: 47.10 a week • Highest rate: 70.35 a week

8. How to Claim? • Phone Benefit Enquiry Line • Get form from local job centre or social security office • Download form from www.direct.gov.uk • Two forms: one for <16 & one for >16 • May be asked to have a medical examination by doctor trained in disability awareness ( decision maker is non-medical)

9. Changes in Circumstances • Stops after being in hospital for 4 weeks (> 16), 12 weeks (<16) • Stops after 4 weeks of going into a care home in which the local council helps with the fees • Stops after moving to another country generally

10. Attendance Allowance • Similar to DLA but for > 65 • Need to have met criteria for at least 6 months

11. Rates • Lower rate: frequent help with personal care during day only, or at night only or supervision with dialysis • Higher rate: need help with personal care throughout day and night

12. Rates • Lower rate: 47.10 • Higher Rate: 70.35 • Claim in a similar way to DLA

13. Carer’s Allowance • Taxable benefit to help people who look after someone who is disabled • Do not have to be related or live with them • Must be > 16 and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for the person

14. Carer’s Allowance • The person being cared for must be receiving one of the following: • DLA ( middle or higher for care component) • Attendance allowance • Constant Attendance Allowance ( at or > normal max rate with industrial injuries disablement benefit or basic rate with war disablement pension)

15. Carer’s Allowance • If 2 people are looking after someone, only 1 can claim carer’s allowance • Not affected by your savings • Must be in UK at time of claim and at least 26 weeks in the last 12 months prior to claim and not subject to immigration control

16. Carer’s Allowance • You cannot get it if you earn > 95 pounds a week after money has been taken off to allow for your expenses, or are in full time education • Claim via Carer’s Allowance unit, online (direct.gov), benefit enquiry line, job centre, pension centre

17. Effect on other benefits • If you receive CA or have underlying entitlement, you are eligible for carer’s premium of income support and income-based JSA • Taken into consideration when determining housing & council tax benefits and pension credit • NI contribution • Eligible for money for spouse/ civil partner who lives with you and cares for a child you get child benefits for

18. Job Seeker’s Allowance • Main benefit for people of working age who are out of work or work < 16 hours on avg a week • Must be available for and actively seeking work and bet 18 & state pension age

19. JSA • 2 types • Contribution- based: Based on how much NI you have paid in last 2 tax years. Paid for up to 182 days • Income-based: Based on your income and savings. May get it if you have not paid enough NI (or only made contributions for self-employment) and are on low income

20. JSA • Can claim online, by phone (jobcentre plus) or in person • Following claim, interview at job centre & you and advisor come up with a job seeker agreement • Regular reviews- usually every 2 weeks • Money paid at end of every fortnight into your bank account

21. Maximum rates • Contribution-based: • 16-24: 50.95 • 25 or over: 64.30 • Income-based: • Single < 25: 50.95 • Single>25: 64.30 • Couples (18 and over): 100.95 • Lone parent (under 18): 50.95 • Lone parent (18 and over): 64.30

22. Changes to Report • Getting married/ moving in with a partner • Moving house • Getting a new job • Getting a payrise • Taking in a lodger • No longer being sick or ill • Moving abroad

23. Changes to Report • Failure to report is benefit fraud- can result in fine or prison sentence