Chat with welfare expert Bill McCormack

Answer:
Only if she is registered as blind, or if she is receiving DLA? If she does not get DLA now then you should claim it.

Question:
What does DLA stand for?
marieuk2000

Answer:
DLA is short for Disability Living Allowance. This has two parts - a care component and a mobility component. Either part can be claimed on its own, or combined with the other component. The care component has a low rate, providing £15.55 a week, a middle rate of £39.35 a week, and a high rate of £58.80. The mobility component has a low rate of £15.55 a week or a high rate of £41.05.

Disability living allowance is paid to anyone under 65 years old who requires special care and supervision. The mobility component is for those with mobility problems who require guidance and supervision outside the house.

Those aged over 65 years who become disabled should claim attendance allowance which provides the same amount of money per week as a middle or high care rate.

Question:
Life can be so unfair and when you're suddenly faced with very difficult circumstances it's so difficult just knowing where to start Do you agree?
cl-mururrel

Answer:
As a carer myself, I understand just how difficult it can be when attempting to claim anything. It is also sad that no one has a duty to tell you what to claim for, or what you are missing out on if you don't claim.

The worst culprits are the housing benefit departments who have all your income details and should easily be able to see what is required and, more importantly, be able to tell you what you are missing out on.

The latest large and very expensive advertising campaign for pension credit, aimed at pensioners obviously, has failed to identify more than 400,000 new claims. While many pensioners have received the additional help to which they were entitled, I have heard about hundreds of local pensioners who have applied and got nothing as the DHSS failed to tell them that this new pension credit benfit was means tested.

Question
What can I expect when I attend a back-to-work focused interview as part of the process of claiming Income Support for myself? I am concerned about the type of questions they will ask and whether they will force me to return to work full-time given my circumstances.
cl-murerrol

Answer
Please do not worry about the interview. The sole purpose is to inform you of all the options available to you if you wish to increase your hours at work, and where you stand with tax credits.

You should also be told about training schemes that are available to you. Aside from attending nothing else is compulsory on your part.

Question:
I know that you are entitled to claim a carers' allowance if you care for someone for 35 hours per week. Does it matter whether the person I care for lives at the same address or not?
cl-murerrol

Answer:
Certainly not - the only condition is that you are caring for someone for 35 hours per week.

Question:
What legislation do you have in place in Scotland to help carers? A Bill is currently working its way through the UK Parliament which, if passed, will give carers greater access to higher education and training.
marieuk2000

Answer:
The Carers Recognition and Services Act 1995 and, more recently, the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 place a duty on Social Services to assess the needs of carers and to assist them to continue to provide care if that is their wish.

However, unfortunately, neither act extends a duty on the Social Services to provide specific services - not yet anyway.

If you would like to discuss issues related to caring for another person, why not join in the lively discussions on the Carers&Cared For message board?