Benefits?

[sickmoth]

If a 63 year old retired man has had a stroke and is currently hospitalised what, if any, benefits is he/or his wife entitled to?

[kazza12345]

disability living allowance <-- not means tested

carers allowance (wife) <---- means tested

incapacity benefit (if working previously)

[kazza12345]

0800 88 22 00 number for the benefits enqury line for people with illnesses and disabilities

[sickmoth]

Thank you kazza12345

[THECORBYLOON]

kazza, Carer's Allowance is not a means tested benefit although there is an earnings limit.

[sandbach99]

Disabled living allowance is not payable until someone has been disabled for 6 months.

Carers allowance is not paid if the carer earns more than a certain amount per week.
Incapacity benefit is only payable if you complete the conditions regarding the relevant tax years, depending how long he has been retired he may not have paid the relevant contributions

Income support is unlikely to be payable as they must be living on savings and/or private pension, payment of this benefit will have to be considered if he has to receive residential care or if after 6 months he qualifies for Disabled Living Allowance which because of his age will actually be Attendance Allowance

[kazza12345]

what is means testing the thecorbyloon if its not the benefit depending on how much money you have coming in ie your earnings? i dont understand how that is not means testing? dla can carry on being paid if you apply before you are 64. If you are 64 and you apply, then it is aa rather than dla (worth less) but the man is 63 so it would be dla still

[THECORBYLOON]

kazza, Carer's Allowance is subject to an earnings limit not income limit.

Incapacity Benefit is subject to a reduction if a private pension income exceeds �85 per week and Contribution based Jobseeker�s Allowance is reduced if a private pension exceeds �50 a week.

A person on Incapacity Benefit can do what is called Permitted Work providing certain conditions including earnings are not exceeded.

None of those Benefits are classed as a means-tested Benefit.

Benefits such as Income Support, Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit for example, ARE means-tested, as income is considered. Savings, earnings, stocks and shares, interest in property are considered as sources of income whereas with Carer's Allowance, only earnings ie from employment are considered.

[kazza12345]

im sorry to be so dim, but what is the difference between an income limit, and an earnings limit then? I just dont understand

[themas]

Depending on the joint income of the couple, Pension Credit may be payable - 0800 99 1234.

[THECORBYLOON]

I know it can be confusing but income and earnings are not the same.

For Income Support, money coming into the household affects the rate payable. Savings are not earnings but if the savings are more than �3,000 for every �250 above that figure is classed as �1 income.

With Carer's Allowance, you can have �1,000,000 in savings and still be able to receive it but if you work and earn more than �84 per week after deductions, you won't be able to receive it.