Bolton: DWP leaves former carer on £8 a week for 6 months

Jayne Hogan, who lives in Bromley Cross, retired from her office job seven years ago to care for her mother who had dementia.

During that time, she was receiving around £100 a week in government support.

When her mother went into a care home in June, Jayne cancelled her Carers Allowance money as she was supposed to.

Her mother died at Laburnum Lodge in Breightmet in September.

Without Carers Allowance money coming in, Jayne should have been transferred onto Universal Credit and her weekly income should be around £86 per week.

However, due to the Department for Workplace and Pensions (DWP) not yet processing her change of status, she has instead been living off just £32.88 a month – just over £8 a week.

Jayne Hogan visiting her mother's grave (Image: Jayne Hogan)

She said: “I’m as fed up as I can be. It has to stop.

“I’ve been unable to even claim hardship allowance.

“I’m at my wit's end. Can you imagine if I didn’t have any savings? £8 a week – what can I do with that?”

Jayne has enlisted the help of Citizens Advice, but they have still been unsuccessful in resolving the issue.

She says she has already filled out two forms and sent her mother’s death certificate to the department twice.

CEO of Citizens Advice Bury and Bolton Richard Wilkinson has described Jayne’s case as a “slam dunk”.

He added: “To us, this is a straightforward enquiry, and we don’t understand why it has been handled so badly by the DWP.

“It’s unfortunate as she’s not only dealing with the death of her mum, but the DWP haven’t done the right thing with her benefits.

“Unfortunately, this kind of thing is not uncommon when dealing with the DWP.”

CEO of Citizens Advice Bury and Bolton Richard Wilkinson

Jayne has been told that her only option is to go through an appeal process, which could take “days, weeks, or months”.

Given that she has already resorted to using food banks, and she does not put her heating on at home as she cannot afford to, she believes that this is time she does not have.

“There’s nothing else I can do,” she said. “I’ve got a mortgage around my neck. No heat.

“I’m keeping everything afloat as best I can but it’s two years before my pension kicks in.

“I’ve got about £2,000 of my savings left and by the time I’ve paid my mortgage and bills and bought food it’ll all be gone.

“What food banks deliver is not enough, and everything is so expensive now. Every time I got to the shop it’s gone up.”

“I want to live, not exist,” she added.

A DWP spokesperson said: “We apologise unreservedly to Ms Hogan for the delay in updating her records to reflect that she is no longer in receipt of carers allowance.

“We are rectifying this as a matter of urgency.”

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at lewis.finney@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @lewisfinney18.