Domestic help?

[Coppernob]

Does anyone know if we can get free domestic help from social services (or whoever)?

I have my own house and work part-time from home. I have APS and Sjogren's and chronic pneumonia, receive DLA and WTC, and am registered disabled.

I find I can either work and earn some money (and therefore reduce my dependence on benefits) OR I can run my house (clean, do the washing, ironing, make the bed, do the garden, mow the lawn etc.) but not both.

Who should I approach in the first instance?

Thanks.

[emmaj]

HI There, ive been down this route as I have small children, and unfortunately got nowhere, my sight is affected plus balance and spacial awareness and i walk in to things a lot,and get very tired. i contacted the local council,social services and surestart and I was out of range of all their services. It came down to the fact that i was not a young person, and i wasnt old!!! No provisisons are in place for the in betweeners! If you can get out of the shower and dress yourself then as far as they are concerned you are fine and dont need help - housework (which i believe does have a safety issue if not done) is not a criteria they think warrants help. I pay for a panic alarm in my house,and have my son in nursery for 2 days a week to minimise the risks, and i pay for someone to do the ironing, if and when i get funding for my son then i will pay for a cleaner too. Im having one of those days where if i walk in to anything else im going to scream, but we just have to get on with it. You could start with your local social security and ask for a home assessment though,and i hope you get further with it xx

[Coppernob in reply to emmaj]

Hmmmm, thanks Emma. Mad, innit? Why don't I just give up work altogether and just rely totally on benefits. Idiots!

But home helps provided by social services do domestic stuff. Can't see why we wouldn't qualify.....

I know what you mean about bumping into things. And dropping things?? Anyone would think we're permanently drunk, wouldn't they :-)?

I'll keep researching....

[emmaj]

I use my carers allowance that i get to pay for ironing, my doctors letter states i shouldnt be alone, and especially responsible for others - in an ideal world their right but its a real world were in and if we paid for someone to do what we need to do every day it would cost fortunes!! Especially on warfarin now and prone to bumps i worry tremendously but we get on because we have to - very unfair x

[Jade]

I don't think home help services exist in the form you are thinking of. However as I recall they never were there to clean, just do essentials. And home help was not free it had to and has to be paid for. Even with DLA you do not tell them if you need help with cleaning, as it is not vital to life.

If you receive DLA it is there to be used for the services you feel you need it to pay for, travel cleaning or whatever.

I don't think you would be better off on full time benefits as you would lose WTC and your wage. At least as you are your DLA is not taxable.

I think you are lucky if you feel you could ever mow the lawn, I wish I could.

[Coppernob in reply to Jade]

Yeah, you're probably right, damnit!

Maybe I'll explore voluntary options - though I feel guilty about that really. It's partly that 'but you don't look sick' bugbear.

And yes, I do know I'm 'lucky' to be able to mow the lawn sometimes. Bloody sad isn't it, tho, to get to that point - feeling 'lucky' to SOMETIMES be able to mow the lawn - but only if you don't do anything else, and if you can lie down in a darkened room for a couple of days afterwards!

[sharonap]

I receive help from social services following my last stroke Jan 12. I have careers who come in at lunch time make my lunch and an hour's cleaning call a week it's through elderly services I am 51. I have to pay small charge as you are means tested I don't know wether I got more help as I'm now a widow as never asked with other strokes as husband looked after me as well as working.

[Zezes-nan]

I'm on DLA and have a personal care plan and budget from my local council I have a carer come in each day and they are allowed to help me with personal care, washing and drying up after a meal but was told the only cleaning they can do is hoovering but not the whole house. never had a problem in the past but the woman who came out to review me this year made it quite clear if I want domestic help I would have to find and pay for a cleaner.