Who Gets Disability Care?

Emily Inkpen Aug 7, 2017 3 min

Anyone can get private home care, but those who are affected by a long term illness or a disability might be entitled to benefits to help them pay for the care they need.

Who gets disability care?

Anyone can get home care. There are many different types of care, and you can choose to hire a private carer for as much or as little time as you need to make your life better and safer.

But if you have a disability you may be entitled to benefits that will help you to pay for the care you need.

Benefit calculators

You can find out how much you’re entitled to by using an independent benefits calculator:

These will provide information about income-related benefits, tax credits, Council Tax reduction, carer’s allowance, universal credit, and how work will affect your claim.

Before you start, you will need to gather accurate information about your:

Savings
Income – from both parties if you live with a partner (payslips etc)
Existing benefits and/or pensions
Outgoings – rent, mortgage, childcare etc
Council tax bill

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

The DLA is being phased out in favour of PIP. PIP helps with the extra costs incurred by a long term health issue or disability. For those aged 16 – 64, PIP ranges from £22 to £141.10 per week.

The amount you get is dependent on the level to which you’re affected by your condition, and this will be decided through an assessment.

How to get PIP

You can make a claim by calling the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If you’re calling on behalf of another they will need to be with you when you make the call.

You will need:

Your contact details
Your date of birth
National Insurance Number
Bank or building society account number/sort code
The name of your doctor or health worker, including their address and telephone number
Dates and details of any time spent in an overseas hospital or care home

You can make a PIP claim by calling 0800 917 2222, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

You will then:

Fill out a form
Return the form to the DWP
Attend a meeting with an independent health professional to assess the level of help you need (or they can get the information from a social care worker)
Answer questions about your ability to carry out activities and how your disability affects daily life

You will then receive a letter to confirm the success or failure of your claim, and how much you have been awarded.

Attendance Allowance

If you’re older than 64, you may be entitled to Attendance Allowance. This is a payment of £55.65 or £83.10 per week, depending on the severity of your disability, to contribute to (or cover) the cost of care.

Lower rate – £55.65

For those requiring frequent help or constant supervision during the day, or during the night.

Higher rate – £83.10

For supervision throughout the day and night, or if you’re terminally ill.

You choose your care

Once you have been paid, you choose the care you receive. At Hometouch we’re dedicated to helping you find affordable quality care.

Hometouch is an introductory agency, which means that you maintain control over the carer you employ, while we take care of the checks, contracts, insurance, and provide holiday and sickness cover.

We can also help you with your PIP or DLA payments, making the process simple.

If you have any questions about finding a carer for your loved one, even if it’s simple advice, please get in touch with a member of our team and they will be happy to help.

Carer’s Allowance

If you’re caring for someone with substantial needs, you might be entitled to Carer’s Allowance. You could also get Carer’s Credit, which will fill any gaps in your National Insurance record.

If you’re caring for someone for 35 hours per week or more, you could be entitled to £62.70 per week. This can help with the cost of weekly shopping, or the petrol needed to get to appointments, or with the cost of vital respite care.

Find out more social care: