Can anyone clarify something? I'm stuck in a financial trap, caring for an elderly, sick parent, almost full-time. I get no spare time to make a living. So I am living off my savings. (Not good!)
I felt I might be entitled to some state benefit, since, after all, I am doing work which the NHS would be lumbered with if I walked away from the situation, or if I took up paid, full time employment.
I looked into claiming a Carer's Allowance from the ss, but if I understand the blurb, it says you can only get the Carer's Allowance if the person you are caring for gets an Attendance Allowance. (I gather the Attendance Allowance is to enable the claimant to pay for care.)
That makes no sense to me. Why would the ss want to pay an allowance to a carer, only when the cared-for person is already getting a state benefit intendd for paying for care? They would then be paying for the care twice, no?
Thanks for any elucidation,
JD