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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Benefits for older people  →  Thread

Benefit entitlement for an older person being paid an individual budget

PhilB
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Financial Resilience Housing Officer

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Joined: 10 February 2012

Hello all

Hope this makes sense as I have very little knowledge around individual budgets etc.

We’ve had an enquiry from a client who is 76 & receiving a state pension of about £130pw. She works in a care home 16 hours a week on minimum wage. She is also paid as a family members carer their individual budget of £750pcm to provide care for 112 hours a month.

My question is is the £750 via the individual budget treated as income for means tested benefits? I cant seem to find any answers anywhere. I’m inclined to think it will all be taken into account in full.

Can anyone confirm/deny?

Thanks

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK
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Information and advice resources - Age UK

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We cover Direct Payments for social care in section 8 of our factsheet Personal budgets and direct payments in social care

I’ve discussed this briefly with our social care expert and we can’t think of any other scenario that would enable an individual to pay someone else to care for them in this manner, and as such, we’d assume that the income your client rrecieves is therefore going to be treated as earnings for MTB’s (because the person needing care is effectively employing your client to provide that care).

You might want to get a second opinion from the Disability Rights UK Personal Budgets Help Line 0330 995 0404 9.30-1.30 Tues and Thurs.

PhilB
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Financial Resilience Housing Officer

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Thanks Paul, exactly what we thought.

Cheers

Dan_Manville
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Mental health & welfare rights service - Wolverhampton City Council

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I work in a social work team; see this a lot. Paul’s spot on.

Paul_Treloar_AgeUK
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Information and advice resources - Age UK

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Dan Manville - 02 April 2019 01:19 PM

I work in a social work team; see this a lot. Paul’s spot on.

Thanks Dan.