According to Carers UK State of Caring Survey 2024, 61% of carers are worried about living costs and their financial future, with over a third feeling uncertain about their ability to manage financially. 44% of working-age adults who are caring for 35 hours or more a week are in poverty. (Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK Poverty 2022). Caring comes with additional costs which are often overlooked.
Working with sensitivity
Our benefits advisors completely emphasise with the financial uncertainty carers are often faced with and understand the emotions involved in those concerns. So, they work sensitively and devoid of judgement with the carers they speak with to find the benefits they are entitled to.
Since the inception of Carers Support’s benefits advice service in 2021, an estimated £5 million of additional annual money for carers and those cared for within West Sussex has been achieved.
How do carers not know what they are entitled to?
How? You may ask could a carer be missing out on potentially such an enormous amount of financial assistance. At times, the reason is simply a lack of understanding about the complex benefits system – as it can be tricky to navigate. Sometimes, the reasons can come from mis-informed assumptions. Such as the theory that because some carers have savings, they believe they would not be entitled to financial assistance.
This was the case with the couple who gained a yearly benefit entitlement of over £22,000 a year. *Patrick and *Samanatha were living in South Africa for many years, when they decided to return to live in the UK. In 2014, they bought a park home and used their savings to live on. Living in another country meant minimal payments into UK National insurance over the years, resulting in low State Pensions of £60 a week in total.
Patrick developed a high level of disability, requiring day and night care, which meant Samantha needed more support. The couple assumed that due to having savings, they had no entitlement to benefit other than the pension. By the time they decided to speak with one of our benefits advisors, their savings had dropped to below the level taken into account for means tested benefits.
One of our benefits advisors delved into the calculations and due to Patrick and Samantha’s circumstances, it was found they were entitled to the higher rate Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance and Pension Credit. They were also permitted free NHS prescriptions, TV Licence and Winter Fuel Payment.
While this uplift in income was quite an exceptional case, there are countless examples where financial benefit has been found.
Not always an immediate financial gain
For some carers receiving benefits advice, there is no recordable immediate financial gain. Nevertheless, the value of the service for these carers can be clearly demonstrated in other ways. For example, a carer may be considering leaving work or reducing hours to care. A discussion about likely entitlement to Carers Allowance and Universal Credit can give an indication of income, enabling future planning.
Worth making the call
As you will have noted from Patrick and Samantha’s case, it is worth booking a welfare benefit advice appointment. Our benefits advisors are experts in the field and will discover any way possible to maximise your income.
To make an appointment to access our free benefits advice service you can:
- Contact our helpline (0300 028 8888) to pre-arrange a 1:1 phone consultation between you and the benefits advisor
- Email: info@carerssupport.org.uk supplying your name and request for a call and one our benefits adviser will contact you to arrange a time to talk.
*Not real names
