Can anyone give me any information on “means test” done by social services… I have recently started to need Carers support and currently funding it all myself. I need to know how social services work out through their means tests if you qualify for some financial help, I know they look at your incomings BUT do they also look at your necessary outgoings eg gas/electric , council tax water rates and the amount being paid out for Carers?
Hi, I was told to apply for a bathroom conversion 3 years ago. A lady came to advise me & I discovered my savings exceed the maximum allowance. I could still apply, and would have either paid in full or pro rata.
I preferred to pay The Bath Store than have Soc.Services knowing all my personal business.
Soc.Serv. only want to know the total income coming to the house. Not interested in outgoings at all. If you live alone, then your total income, including all benefits except DLA (I’m unsure if PIP is classed as income or not). If others live with you, then their income could be taken into consideration too.
They also want details of all savings, investments and other properties you have (even if in joint names).
You can have up to £23,500 savings which they don’t touch, but every penny above that amount is affected on a sliding scale.
Have you enquired about Direct Payments? You may qualify to employ your carer, literally you employ them, deducting their tax & N.I off wages. Another way to help is for your Carer to apply for Carers Allowance.
The DWP website gives fuller detail and will be up to date. Hope this helps.
Chrissie
Hello
The ‘means test’ as applied by Social Services is strange and they pretty much keep the details of how it’s done to themselves. I’ve tried to find the details of how it’s done before and ended up just as clueless as I started (and I’m normally very good at means tested calculations).
The only thing I know is that when you have more than £23.500 in capital, aside from the house you live in, you don’t qualify for any social services help. And the capital cut off, along with the income calculation is done as a per person calculation rather than treating a couple as a joint applicant.
I think all you can do is apply and see what happens.
Sue
Thankyou both for your replies, it really is a minefield!! I find social services very unhelpful in the main and so many of their call handlers assume your “ daft” because your disabled 
I don’t really know anything about it but i do know since the swap from DLA to PIP this has allowed the council to take 70 quid a week off my disabled daughter towards her care package. DLA they weren’t allowed to touch apparently.
And they are allowed to count PIP as income? See what I mean? Arbitrary flipping rules. Impossible to learn what the rules are. If in fact there are any actual rules. Crikey Ol, it’s just not fair.
Get some help from the local CAB? If possible. See if they know how it’s done?
Sue
We should never have all this aggrevation from the very people who are supposed to be caring for our wellbeing. Didn’t know the new PIP allowances were now counted as “income”. I get very worked up about the so called welfare system. I worked very long full time hours for 41yrs, never had children so never had any breaks for maturnity leave. Paid full tax and national insurance etc etc etc, now when I need a little bit of help and support through no fault of my own I’m made to feel like some kind of criminal for daring to ask.” But you’ve got a small company pension …clear off,…”
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Pip is not counted as income
Yes Dograbs, it’s a pain that the Welfare system is being abused and is getting broken.
We paid our tax & N.I when we worked. Nowadays, we actually receive more than we paid in.
We have free access to doctors, hospitals, state pensions that increase each year, dla/pip, also with increases, sometimes a free brand new car with insuance, tax, breakdown cover & maintaining. Free equipment for disabled, free bus passes & other benefits.
The costs of Healthcare, which we, with MS receive, is most likely more than we paid in.
I’d rather not have MS & not have to receive so much treatment. But I sure appreciate what is available to all of us with MS, and we don’t have to pay any costs!
I understand your point about your company pension taking you just over the borderline for financial help. My parents had the same issue. Even so, better to be over the threshold than under it.
Take care of You, to get annoyed over a subject we cannot change, only affects our M.S.
Chrissie
It depends what and why you are actually asking. If you are talking about paying for CARE, then SS will see if you are eligible for Direct Payments. IF you have a certain income, and savings, then you won’t qualify and will have to self fund. Direct Payments will send out a Financial Declaration form and quizz you on income and out goings.
I THINK this what dograbs is asking about and the thread seems to have gone off topic a bit. Hope this helps.