Annoyed and happy at the same time, schizophrenia?

[ant]

Subject says it all, almost..
I have been a carer for the past 7 years looking after both parents full time. Dad has dementia and Mum is blind. I have only been able to claim carers allowance for one parent (government rules) so have existed on £50 per week since then. Dad had to go into a home about 2 months ago as we couldn’t cope anymore. We had a visit from the pensions office today saying I should have been claiming more, no one has ever told me this before. Today when I called them they asked why didn’t I bother to claim before, no one ever told me I could! In fact the only stock reply I ever got was you can only claim carers allowance for one person only.
I seem to have missed out and am sure I will never receive the backpay owed.
At least now a Penelope should be closer in range.

Not schizophrenic just miffed, you never know though!

Rant over,
The Ant
Xx

[Ellen]

Ant, what a shame that you've been struggling so much with money when it could have been a bit easier. Have you thought about contacting Citizens Advice? I went to see them about 6 months ago and they are brilliant, they are clued up on all benefits etc and will contact people on your behalf. If there is a way for you to get that money back they will do it for you

Sorry to hear about your parents health problems, that can't be easy for you

[Clutter]

Ant,

Make a claim ASAP. They have the discretion to backdate up to six months.

In the meantime look through all your paperwork & any notes of conversations you had and try to find evidence that you were informed you could only claim for one of your parents. If there is evidence you were misinformed you ought to be able to have your claim back dated in full.

[gjdart]

It's just not right Ant is it... why, if your entitled to something can't you just get it ! Why do you have to claim for it ? Sometimes you would think it's coming out of their own pockets...makes me mad... >

You can get everything if you know how to work the system....Grrrrr!

[booblay]

i would have thought you could claim back pay evidence or not....but not sure..defo get onto citizens advice.

dementia is .....well....it's a turd of a thing.. i work in a care home with the elderly and most have dementia....it's a rare thing for people in the western world to take care of their own....we have a few indians working with us, and they say that back home most families look after their ageing folks without question.....but then, when you throw dementia into the mix, i can't say i blame the west....it is f*cking soul destroying and sometimes impossible. good on you for being a good'un, though i hope you're still managing to live your own life as much as poss.

[gjdart]

Aug 21, 2012 23:11:19 GMT Clutter said:

Ant,

Make a claim ASAP. They have the discretion to backdate up to six months.

In the meantime look through all your paperwork & any notes of conversations you had and try to find evidence that you were informed you could only claim for one of your parents. If there is evidence you were misinformed you ought to be able to have your claim back dated in full.

Just had a look on the directgov web site under carers allowance and it states that you can only claim for one person ???

[beautycat]

I would still go to CAB though Ant and see if you can claim anymore for anything else, makes me mad though, regardless of whether they are your mum and dad, that is a full time job and you should get more

[esmecullen]

Ant........... I know what you mean, it is soul destroying, my mum cared for my elderly aunt (her sister), she would go over and cook, clean, bathe her etc. She suffered with dementia too Mum was told by the DWP that she could not claim as she wasnt living with my aunt >

My aunt was a very difficult lady, she didnt have any friends and she was always feuding with other members of the family, it was quite funny at times when mum would say to me that such and such relative was banned from aunts home.

Mum had quite a fight with Social Services too, trying to get help as mum is getting on a bit and has health issues and travelling to aunts home every day was taking it out of her. She finally got help with carers coming in of a morning, afternoon and evening 4 days a week, but the remaining 3 days mum was expected to care for my aunt.

One day mum went over with a bit of shopping and found my aunt on the floor, she'd been there overnight and was semi-concious, mum had to have her admitted to hospital, the doctors there said she'd be better off in a nursing home, but trying to find one that would take her was nigh impossible, Social Services quite simply didnt want to know. Sadly aunt died when she was in hospital

I think that carers should get more money and more help in doing what they do.

Hope you manage to get the backdated money Ant............ you deserve it

[ant]

Thanks all, I have an appointment tomorrow to see if I qualify, will let you know :-)

[ant]

12 mile drive just to sign a piece of paper and 12 days for them to make a decision