BENEFITS

North West Kent Carers Support Service offers a comprehensive benefits advice service, including help with form filling and tribunal hearings.

We will visit you at your house by appointment in order to help you.

The main benefits for Carer or cared for are listed below but this is not comprehensive. If you want to find out more about what you could be entitled to please contact us as the information in this section is a guide only.

Carer's Allowance
Carer’s Allowance is a benefit to help people who look after someone who is ill or disabled. You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.

Who can get Carer's Allowance?
You can claim Carer’s Allowance if you are aged 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a person getting Attendance Allowance, or Disability Living Allowance (at the middle or highest rate for personal care), or Constant Attendance Allowance (at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, or basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension).

Who cannot get Carer's Allowance?
You can’t claim Carer’s Allowance if you are in full-time education with 21 hours or more a week of supervised study or earn more than £84 a week after certain deductions have been made (such as Income Tax).

How much do you get?
The weekly rate is £46.95.(Sept 2k6) This is reduced by the amount of certain other benefits, including State Pension, that you receive . If you receive certain other benefits at £46.95 or more a week, Carer’s Allowance cannot be paid to you as well.You may be able to get an additional amount for your husband, wife or civil partner or someone living with you who looks after your dependent children.

How it’s paid
Carer’s Allowance is normally paid directly into any account of your choice which accepts Direct Payment of benefits. This might be a bank , building society, or other account provider. You may be able to get someone else to collect your Carer’s Allowance if you wish. For help with this contact your bank, building society or other account provider.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Disability Living Allowance - sometimes referred to as DLA - is a tax-free benefit for children and adults who need help with personal care or have walking difficulties because they are physically or mentally disabled.
If you want to find out more about what you could be entitled to please contact us as the information in this section is a guide only.

Who can get Disability Living Allowance?
You may get Disability Living Allowance if:

• you have a physical or mental disability, or both
• your disability is severe enough for you to need help
  caring for yourself or you have walking difficulties, or both
• you are under 65 when you claim

If you are aged 65 or over, you may be able to get Attendance Allowance.
You can get Disability Living Allowance whether or not you work.
It isn’t usually affected by any savings or income you may have.

Special rules – if you are terminally ill
Someone who has a progressive disease and is not expected to live for more than another six months can claim under special rules to make sure you get your benefit more quickly and easily.

How much do you get?

Disability Living Allowance has two parts called ‘components’:

• a care component – if you need help looking after yourself or supervision to keep you safe
• a mobility component – if you can’t walk or need help getting around

Some people will be entitled to receive just one component; others may get both The care component and mobility component are paid at different rates depending on how your disability affects you.

How it’s paid

Disability Living Allowance is normally paid directly into any account of your choice which accepts Direct Payment of benefits . This might be a bank, building society or other account provider.

Attendance Allowance

Attendance Allowance (AA) is a tax-free benefit for people aged 65 or over who need help with personal care because they are physically or mentally disabled. If you want to find out more about what you could be entitled to please contact us as the information in this section is a guide only.

Who can get Attendance Allowance?

You may get Attendance Allowance if:

• you have a physical or mental disability, or both
• your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself
• you are aged 65 or over when you claim

If you are under age 65, you may be able to get Disability Living Allowance.
Attendance Allowance isn’t usually affected by any savings or income you may have.

Special Rules – if you are terminally ill
If you have a progressive disease and you are not expected to live for more than another six months there are special rules for claiming to make sure you get your benefit more quickly and easily.

How much do you get?

The amount you get depends on how much your disability affects you.

There are two rates of Attendance Allowance.