Hall cleaner-need advice on benefits

I agree Grannyknot the whole system needs a overhaul! here is another example of the benefits system...a friend of mine had to give up work to look after her sick husband...she was able to claim a carers allowance as her husband needed 24/7 care...when she reach 60 she got her state pension and they stopped the carers allowance as she was now retired and able to look after her husband!

someone else I know left her husband and she was able to claim sickness benefit as she was riddled with arthritis....after a few months she reconciled with her husband and they stopped the sickness benefit as her husband worked and was able to keep her!

What a completely bonkers system if it disempowers people and discourages or prevents them from taking on employment, effectively trapping them in the system - where is the benefit in that? No wonder it is said it needs an overhaul.

I thought I was having a case of deja vu. I remember something like this before too.

ASk CAB. They should know.

I think vouchers would be taken into account as "payment in kind"

Could she set up as self-employed for the purpose of your cleaning?

She should still be within the personal allowance limit. Trying to think this through better but having a post-brexit-pre-Wales match vodka...

Could she offset any expenses (materials, cleaning stuff) against that so she's not actually making anything?

Paying/accepting cash without declaring it would be illegal. Don't know about vouchers, tho.

I remember because I thought it was so unfair !
Vouchers a good idea x

Ask again on Mumsnet . There will someone who will know. But don't let on you are a wicked old person.

She will lose benefits and be worse off . It used to be that you could earn £16 but think it is now £20 per week . That few extra pounds may just take her over the threashold for receiving a benefit , I am sure she is not lying to you . Can you not pay cash or with a Tesco voucher (or some other supermarket) , single Mums on benefits really struggle.

I was sure I'd seen it before too. Maybe someone else with a similar situation?

Perhaps I'm really losing the plot though....there's always that!!

Don't think so......only occurred in last few weeks. Unless I posted about old cleaner but I can't find anything in my history for past year.

Hasn't this been posted before ?

I think if you are on benefits you are only allowed to earn up to £20 a week if it goes over then you lose your benefits...