Attendance allowance

[chas2008]

is it paid to the person who requires the help or direct to the helper ? I need to ask as my wife has been told to claim it for looking after her mother the problem is her mother is so tight if it was paid into her account my wife wouldnt see a penny...

[woofgang]

attendance allowance is paid to the person who gets the help. Carer's allowance is paid to the helper.

[bednobs]

your wife can't apply, it's the mum who needs to. If she cares for her for a certain amount of hours a week and the mum claims AA your wife can claim carers allowance

[Jumbo747]

It is paid to the person who needs the help, with the idea that they use it to pay people for looking after/helping them! Sorry, that doesn't help you much..................

[beckersjay]

It's paid to the person requiring the help, not to the carer. There's a separate carer's allowance but only available if you're not over pensionable age.

[chas2008]

thats what i thought,,,,

[Richard1966]

Carers allowance is not just paid to those over personable age, but there are strict rules on the amount of hours that care is provided (35 per week) and a limit on the amount of other paid work the carer can do. This is because carers allowance is one of a small number of benefits that are earnings replacements.

[micmak]

My wife cares for me 24/7. I am 63, she is 61. I need help to the bathroom, for washing and shaving etc. Also most other things. We have neither asked or have had help offered. We took it as for better or worse. Unfortunately she has the worse, as she did when her parents were ill. 24/7 again. I don't understand why you want payment for looking after parents that did everything for you. The benefit culture stinks. Still speaking of benefit, though different. Why should people on benefit live in a better house / area than someone who woks.

[Ann]

My Mum has AA, and she pays the people who help her by getting her shopping, doing her garden, giving her lifts etc. That is what it is for ..............

[boxtops]

micmak, you and mrs M are like many people, wouldn't dream of claiming - but if you did, you might be able to buy things to help your situation, afford taxis to go to appointments, and so on. It's worth thinking about if you do need 24/7 care, it's not easy for either of you.

[micmak]

Boxy. We are not rich, neither are we short of money. Mrs MM drives. We have no one to leave our assets to. I keep telling her. Get it spent.

[boxtops]

Understood micmak - but ann ^^ has the right idea, claim it, use it to help with the small helpful things in life.

[THECORBYLOON]

Richard there is no upper age limit for claiming Carer's Allowance but if there's State Pension in payment at the same rate or higher, it can be awarded but it won't be payable.

[joko]

mikmak, because while she is caring for you she cannot work.

[chas2008]

The whole point is my wife will be running her around, hospital =40 mile round trip, fuel etc. costs money, my wife had to give up work due to ill health and cant claim a penny, so i dont think trying to get a bit of help towards costs is so wrong.