Carers budget

[greenapple123_]

Hi does anyone receive a carers budget & if so what can they spend it on? I’ve requested funds so I can use a laundry collect & drop off service. Would it be unreasonable to ask for all household laundry to be done & not just the disabled persons?

[Southwold1955]

I think it depends on your local authority. My son gets an allowance for the extra laundry he produces which means he pays a little less towards his supports needs. I used to be able to use my carers budget towards those costs but am not allowed to now. I get a small allowance which I use for reflexology to help with pain caused due to caring - this gets assessed every year.

[SENmum24 in reply to Southwold1955]

How do you get a carers budget? I requested a carers assessment, which was done via a 10 minute phone call with the LA carers support group. They referred me to pay for services that I can access should I chose to.

[49Twister in reply to SENmum24]

I like you have never heard of a carers budget. What is it and how do you qualify? Hopefully someone on here can advise

[Peace-hunter]

I was told I could use mine for a gym membership (which I now have & love) and "short break" (which may change) & "replacement care", which is hard to get.

[Dandy75]

Is carer's budget one off payment or monthly? And how much you can get? Thanks

[Bergersil400 in reply to Dandy75]

I first started getting the carers fund when my daughter was around 7 years of age. She is now age 29. Initially it was a one off payment for I think £250 . The first year I used it to pay for a friend to accompany us on a weeks holiday, so that she could help support our daughter and help with our two other children who were age 10 and 1.I think we did similar the following year. We then didn't get it for a few years as they means tested it and we didn't qualify.

When she reached age 19 and was going through transition to adult care our social worker at the time helped me reapply. It was no longer means tested and you would get a monthly allowance through a scheme called payable. I was given a master card and initially given £120 per month and could use it to pay for services online or use your card to get small amounts of cash out. I get £50 out at a time. Two years ago a person associated with approving payment increased it to £140 per month.

It can be used to benefit the carer or to help the carer. I have used mine to pay for a monthly window cleaner, and gardener. For my self I have used to pay for weekly session with personal trainer in the past. I have also used to purchase a ski pass by saving the fund for a couple of months. I have also used it towards treatments at a health spa and euros towards a mini break.

You should keep receipts and information about what you using money for as occasional audits are done

[Dandy75]

That's lovely, we never had it or anyone mentioned it. My daughter is 17 . I will ask social worker, I assume it depends of local authority. May O asked where are you based? Thank you

[Bergersil400 in reply to Dandy75]

I am based in East Mids but I assume most councils will offer it. Ask your SW to get ball rolling

[Dandy75 in reply to Bergersil400]

Thanks a lot. We are looking to move. Are uiu happy in general with services? Adaptations etc? Is there good support for disabled adults? My daughter has PLMD. Thanks

[Bergersil400 in reply to Dandy75]

On the whole we are happy with her supported living. A new build flat within a 12 bed complex. Each resident has their own 24/7 support with a team of senior staff based in the office to manage day to day running of the home and to administer medicines look afte residents small amounts of cash. There is always someone in the office and another overall manager based at the slightly older home 5 minutes walk away.My daughter has PLMD as well but although she needs all personal care done for her she is fully mobile, and doesn't require any adaptations. As it was new we opted she have a bath rather than a shower.

I would add as we are only 20 minutes drive away she comes tonus must Thursday's until Sunday.

We therefore have a good relationship with carers and management. This is key as when she moved in we were far from happy. However a change of management along with regular non agency staff, makes all the difference. Not perfect but a lot better than some. It is key to engage in regular two way communication, and ensure they are following up on any issues that arise.

[Dandy75 in reply to Bergersil400]

Thanks a lot for your response, I appreciate it. I'm glad that your daughter is happy at her current accommodation. Did you have good community services when she was living at home( directpayments, adaptations etc)? Is there any good college for the PLMD population in your area? Thank you for your time

[FoodBankKnitter in reply to Bergersil400]

I am amazed, I live in the east midlands too, my son is 36 and we have had none of this, in fact what you have is my dream, I don't know why I still expect life to be fair

[Bergersil400 in reply to FoodBankKnitter]

Sorry you have slipped under the radar with your son. I can't remember exactky how I heard about the carers fund, but think one of her carers from her after school club for children with disabilities told us about it. As I mentioned it was a one off payment given yearly. We received 2 or 3 times before means tested.It was when she was in adult care and her social funding was going to stop that our then social worker told us about it. She did the assessment and I did qualify for a monthly fund for myself. That would have been about 7 years ago.

We were lucky to always have good social workers, and this one also helped me apply for CHC on my daughters behalf. It was her last major intervention as now we have CHC there is no social worker involvement

If you have a social worker it would be worth getting a carers assessment done. Not too late. Nothing to lose.

[FoodBankKnitter in reply to Bergersil400]

Thank you for replying, it's very kind of you, I really have been left to struggle, so much so that I am moving us to South Staffordshire to be closer to family, as we have no-one here, it's just my son and I and I have no idea how to settle him independently, I'm 70 and it's a worry, when I saw the southwell reach project I cried that no-one had pointed me in that direction, it's perfect, hopefully we'll find better social workers when we move , but in any case my son will have help close by when I'm not here. Thanks for writing your experience, it's made me hopeful that the right path is out there somewhere, but you can't ask for something if you don't know it exists, thanks again

[Bergersil400 in reply to FoodBankKnitter]

You have made the right decision moving nearer to family.This was something wish we had considered moving closer to family when our children were small. Juggling childcare especially if they have additional needs isn't easy. I think this was why our social workers were sympathetic and did their utmost to get us as much support as they could.

Good luck.

[Bergersil400]

Hi am based in East midlands I guess most councils can offer it. Ask your SW to get ball rolling. Good luck.

[LearningLot]

Only signposting and coffee mornings here. I would LOVE a service that collected and dropped off bedding every day - that would be a huge help.