why are home carers so under valued. carers allowance moan.

[wildman]

What I don't get is the carers get paid minimum to low wages yet the care homes charge an obscene amount of money.

got to keep those tory share holder donors well greased.

 

[Outcast440]

Any job that involves cleaning up after other people is generally looked down upon. Human nature in essence.

 

[Eurofighter]

I would be up for increasing taxes a decent amount and then spending a bit more on services. And using the rest to pay back what we owe to China because of their virus.

 

[arknor]

The government has been treating carers as a joke for decades, IIRC there have been calls for them to be better compensated/looked after or at least recognised for what they do for 25+ years in much better times than now.

The difference is that with covid a lot of the clubs and facilities that helped ease the burden of the family carers have gone.

it's probably the benefit with the most fraud.

2 people on disability benefits can claim carers allowance for each other even if they live together. (unless they changed it)

loads of people likely claim it but don't actually care for the person and just want an excuse to not have to look for a job


our benefits are crap though we are always told they are soo good and that's why all the immigrants come here for benefits but it's utter drivel, most European benefits are way higher these days.

anyone who thinks inflation ain't mental since brexit crap needs to compare their old receipts, it's like a struggle to see anything as cheap as a quid in a supermarket these days, the cost of surviving must have gone up loads but benefits barely ever moved since the 2000s

 

[robfosters]

it's probably the benefit with the most fraud.

2 people on disability benefits can claim carers allowance for each other even if they live together. (unless they changed it)

loads of people likely claim it but don't actually care for the person and just want an excuse to not have to look for a job


our benefits are crap though we are always told they are soo good and that's why all the immigrants come here for benefits but it's utter drivel, most European benefits are way higher these days.

anyone who thinks inflation ain't mental since brexit crap needs to compare their old receipts, it's like a struggle to see anything as cheap as a quid in a supermarket these days, the cost of surviving must have gone up loads but benefits barely ever moved since the 2000s

I think our disability benefits are pretty good tbh

 

[arknor]

I think our disability benefits are pretty good tbh

you assume anyone with a disability can actually get them, loads of people are on ESA but should be on pip but tories

our actual disability benefits are way to generous.

ESA+PIP+carers is crazy cash
the thing is most people with hidden disabilities can't get PIP or it's an insane fight for them to try and ESA is barely above job seekers, I think it's meant to be worse than being on UC since the £20 uplift UC got during covid

 

[robfosters]

you assume anyone with a disability can actually get them, loads of people are on ESA but should be on pip but tories

our actual disability benefits are way to generous.

ESA+PIP+carers is crazy cash
the thing is most people with hidden disabilities can't get PIP or it's an insane fight for them to try and ESA is barely above job seekers, I think it's meant to be worse than being on UC since the £20 uplift UC got during covid

I’ve recently applied for UC. I was on ESA. I am still on it, but they are bumping me up with UC as well, so I get the £80 a month uplift. It remains to be seen whether the tories are pressured enough in September to keep the uplift.

Basic ESA is the same as JSA, but if you’re a disabled person living on their own who is unable to work, once your premiums go on, you end up with about £200 a week.

but you say crazy cash. What do you consider crazy cash and how much do you think disabled people should get?

 

[Eurofighter]

Disability benefits are ok, if you can get PIP but its difficult and they keep reassessing you,

 

[robfosters]

Disability benefits are ok, if you can get PIP but its difficult and they keep reassessing you,

I don’t know if you get it, but if so, how often are you reassessed? With me, they gave me 5 years.

 

[explicit4u]

Depends on your condition/why you've been accepted.

The DWP are so difficult to deal with I wouldn't be surprised if some people just dont bother, spent the last 2 and a bit years working with various organisations to get my mum all the disability benefits she's entitled to. Ended up in court with the DWP over an ESA claim that was repeatedly rejected.

I'd also be interested to hear what Arknor thinks is crazy money.

 

[Werewolf]

I don’t know if you get it, but if so, how often are you reassessed? With me, they gave me 5 years.

Most people are 2-3 years, I know a few people who've got conditions that have been going on for ~20 years and are basically expected to be for life short of major breakthroughs, they still get reassessed every year or two.

Five years is pretty rare, especially if you've only been claiming for a few years, my mother was on DLA from 40ish to her 70's and had to do the DLA reassessments every 2-3 years despite her problem being permanent due to a problem she was born with, and the early attempts to correct it not lasting (she had multiple hip replacements, and for the last 20 years IIRC one of the important muscles had gone due to damage from the ops).
At one point she did have it "for life", until they did a "random reassessment"* and couldn't read their own doctor's report - it wasn't until the appeal panel (after 18 months without it) that anyone on their side looked at any of the evidence, or their own doctors report which when we got the original papers through said "Mrs X Cannot possibly walk..." but the DWP had put down as the basis of the decisions as "the Doctors report says Mrs X can walk".
When my mother's GP and consultant saw the replies to the letters they'd submitted as evidence they were not happy that they'd been been ignored it was a very clear cut case. I believe her GP was willing to do an official complaint against the assessing doctor at one point because he couldn't understand how any qualified doctor could write that someone with my mum's problems could walk (when all we knew was what the DWP had claimed the doctor had written).

As I've seen said many times from many people who deal with DLA/PIP cases on a regular basis, the idea is to make it as hard and dispiriting as possible to claim, not so that you can cut fraud (it's extremely low), but so you can make people with genuine cases give up because often they're struggling on a day to day basis, even before you give them 30 days to fill in a form that requires you to know exactly what it means, and is designed to be a "computer says no" as much as possible (so you can end up writing several pages of additional information because the questions are yes/no/sometimes - please explain). IIRC something like 80-90% of claims that are followed through and go through the appeals process get awarded after initially being denied.
I've seen the current ESA forms and there are questions that confused me, so I asked a few friends (with PHD's etc, and one was a qualified lawyer) what they thought, and they couldn't understand why it was worded how it was. IIRC there was a question with 3 options, one of which was a "yes i can do it" and the other two both had the same meaning as far as we could work out, just one word different (words that were synonyms for each other), the only explanation we could come up with was that the wording had some very specific meaning within the DWP that was different to any other usage.

*We think one of the the neighbours got upset that she had a Motability car as IIRC there was a "random check" for something else, then the DLA reassessment.

 

[robfosters]

Most people are 2-3 years, I know a few people who've got conditions that have been going on for ~20 years and are basically expected to be for life short of major breakthroughs, they still get reassessed every year or two.

Five years is pretty rare, especially if you've only been claiming for a few years, my mother was on DLA from 40ish to her 70's and had to do the DLA reassessments every 2-3 years despite her problem being permanent due to a problem she was born with, and the early attempts to correct it not lasting (she had multiple hip replacements, and for the last 20 years IIRC one of the important muscles had gone due to damage from the ops).
At one point she did have it "for life", until they did a "random reassessment"* and couldn't read their own doctor's report - it wasn't until the appeal panel (after 18 months without it) that anyone on their side looked at any of the evidence, or their own doctors report which when we got the original papers through said "Mrs X Cannot possibly walk..." but the DWP had put down as the basis of the decisions as "the Doctors report says Mrs X can walk".
When my mother's GP and consultant saw the replies to the letters they'd submitted as evidence they were not happy that they'd been been ignored it was a very clear cut case. I believe her GP was willing to do an official complaint against the assessing doctor at one point because he couldn't understand how any qualified doctor could write that someone with my mum's problems could walk (when all we knew was what the DWP had claimed the doctor had written).

As I've seen said many times from many people who deal with DLA/PIP cases on a regular basis, the idea is to make it as hard and dispiriting as possible to claim, not so that you can cut fraud (it's extremely low), but so you can make people with genuine cases give up because often they're struggling on a day to day basis, even before you give them 30 days to fill in a form that requires you to know exactly what it means, and is designed to be a "computer says no" as much as possible (so you can end up writing several pages of additional information because the questions are yes/no/sometimes - please explain). IIRC something like 80-90% of claims that are followed through and go through the appeals process get awarded after initially being denied.
I've seen the current ESA forms and there are questions that confused me, so I asked a few friends (with PHD's etc, and one was a qualified lawyer) what they thought, and they couldn't understand why it was worded how it was. IIRC there was a question with 3 options, one of which was a "yes i can do it" and the other two both had the same meaning as far as we could work out, just one word different (words that were synonyms for each other), the only explanation we could come up with was that the wording had some very specific meaning within the DWP that was different to any other usage.

*We think one of the the neighbours got upset that she had a Motability car as IIRC there was a "random check" for something else, then the DLA reassessment.

I realise it can be very problematic and even traumatic to get it, but my actual argument was that Arknor was saying the disability benefits are way too generous. I asked him why he thinks that, but have yet to get an answer to my question.

 

[413x]

Caring for relatives. My mum is getting pretty bad depression. And has been at both my sisters. I'm absolutely dreading doing it. I find it absolutely exhausting. It's why I don't want kids. I'd never want to pass that on. People having to hold down a job, look after thier kids and older relatives?

Seems a pretty miserable time.
Where if you're unlucky soon as you get yourself on your feet you can end up caring for someone.

And the help carers get is terrible. It's more than a full time job. Way more. Mentally and physically. You also are often just watching that person deteriorate.

Just horrible.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

Caring for relatives. My mum is getting pretty bad depression. And has been at both my sisters. I'm absolutely dreading doing it. I find it absolutely exhausting. It's why I don't want kids. I'd never want to pass that on. People having to hold down a job, look after thier kids and older relatives?

Seems a pretty miserable time.
Where if you're unlucky soon as you get yourself on your feet you can end up caring for someone.

And the help carers get is terrible. It's more than a full time job. Way more. Mentally and physically. You also are often just watching that person deteriorate.

Just horrible.

Sure you aren't depressed because kids literally bring so much joy to most normal folks lives they would be at a loss to feel the same highs as experiences with their children.

If you are so worried about being a burden on them there is insurance available to protect against that and even assisted suicide is legal in some countries if you so wish.

Your logic is that don't want to play football in case I break my leg.

 

[413x]

Sure you aren't depressed because kids literally bring so much joy to most normal folks lives they would be at a loss to feel the same highs as experiences with their children.

If you are so worried about being a burden on them there is insurance available to protect against that and even assisted suicide is legal in some countries if you so wish.

Your logic is that don't want to play football in case I break my leg.

Edit. Yes. Depression very much runs in the family

I don't have the mental energy, I'm not very organised, my partner has physical difficulties, I've never liked kids, and I don't want to do more damage to the environment. Our wages are OK as single. But not with kids, certainly wouldn't have the nice little house we have. I don't really like kids. Most people seem to moan about their kids day to day. I have very time consuming hobbies I'd have to give up.

There are so many reasons against. I absolutely know I'd regret it. It's totally not like sports injuries. A sport injury isn't planned. And you usually recover.

If kids doesn't work out I'd be resentful for 18 plus years, and you can't just change your mind.

But this Is off topic

 

[MadMossy]

LHA (local housing allowance) in Torbay hasn't changed for years, single over 25 adult is still only allowed ~£95 a week towards rent, yet the cost of 1 room place has increased to well over £150 a week, even a bedsit is well over £110 a week now in most areas.

You might be able to find a shed or a s*** hole that fits in that £95 a week, but I very much doubt it would be legally inhabitable.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I don't have the mental energy, I'm not very organised, my partner has physical difficulties, I've never liked kids, and I don't want to do more damage to the environment. Our wages are OK as single. But not with kids, certainly wouldn't have the nice little house we have. I don't really like kids. Most people seem to moan about their kids day to day. I have very time consuming hobbies I'd have to give up.

There are so many reasons against. I absolutely know I'd regret it. It's totally not like sports injuries. A sport injury isn't planned. And you usually recover.

If kids doesn't work out I'd be resentful for 18 plus years, and you can't just change your mind.

I've never heard anyone who is a decent parent moan about their kids. If anything they are proud of their kids and actively encourage them to keep on developing and are happy to show off their skills they have learned.

Seems to me your a glass half empty type of person rather than glass half full. Kids aren't even that expensive in terms of food and clothing, etc. It's child care that's the expensive part (nursery included within that) and there are free childcare options available like retired grandparents who actually are more than happy to help.

Like a few years ago an old friend of my grandads said he was retiring so he could spend more time with his grandkids. He didn't see them as a burden or moan about doing it. He actually wanted to do it.

I'm sure if you asked a lot of people would gladly spend more time with their kids if they could. They cannot due to work commitments, etc.

The whole I don't want to have kids because I have hobbies that I like just sounds selfish rather than a genuine reason not to have kids. Most parents have hobbies they like. Yes kids take up a lot of time but not a valid excuse in my book. I'm sorry to hear that your partner has physical issues and that is a genuine reason for not having kids if it's not a great situation but I will say healthy people have had kids and then become disabled and if you asked them again in sure they would have still opted to have kids because of the happiness they brought them.

It's your life to do as you wish but I would say you don't really have a bulletproof reason not to unless things are a lot worse than what you are implying. If your partner cannot have kids physically there are other options also available such as surrogacy and adoption, etc.

My wee man threw up a tablespoon of milk yesterday as soon as I placed him in the bath. As soon as it happened I rinsed him off poured the water away and ran a new bath. I didn't moan about it I was happy to do so. I know others would have seen it as a chore but I was genuinely happy to run a fresh clean bath. Was only a squirt of milk literally a tablespoon or so not proper puke or anything but I still did it straight away without hesitation. The type of parents who moan about their kids I would say they are likely the issue not their kids unless of course the kid has physical or mental issues which are genuinely distressing.

 

[413x]

My grand parents are both passed, and my mums depression is so bad (hence the caring) I'd have no support.

I am time selfish yes. Kids would absolutely be a burden to me. Just as its selfish to want children. Pretty much everything is selfish.

Kids aren't for everyone. I know what works for my mental health (activities, sports) and I know what doesnt (being burdened) and I've worked to a career point to minimise this while keeping an OK salary.

The people who are happy with kids are efficient, love their kids, often have a good support network good relationship where both in the relationship contribute equally.

I don't have any of that.

I also know people who regret their kids, or their kid is their identity, and parenting isn't for them. Not everyone is cut out to be a parent. And you can't go back.

Basically it's not for me.

 

[Surveyor]

LHA (local housing allowance) in Torbay hasn't changed for years, single over 25 adult is still only allowed ~£95 a week towards rent, yet the cost of 1 room place has increased to well over £150 a week, even a bedsit is well over £110 a week now in most areas.

You might be able to find a shed or a s*** hole that fits in that £95 a week, but I very much doubt it would be legally inhabitable.

The rates since April 2020 for the South Devon Broad Rental Market Area (which includes Torbay) are:

• Shared Accommodation Rate: £65.00 per week
• One Bedroom Rate: £103.56 per week
• Two Bedrooms Rate: £138.08 per week
• Three Bedrooms Rate: £168.00 per week
• Four Bedrooms Rate: £207.12 per week

 

[robfosters]

4 bed house in South Devon for £800 a month, surely not. If so, it must be in one of the grimmest, crime ridden, drug ridden ****holes in Plymouth