LOCAL INFORMATION
9.8.8.L3
Child Personal Care benefit
Extent: Jersey
Updated: 5th October 2016.
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This information is about support for children with severe long-term illnesses or disabilities (Child Personal Care benefit)
Words you may need to know
Cognitive - to be able to know or be aware of something
Component - part of something
Eligible - to qualify for or satisfy the rules to get something
Household - people who live together eg a husband and wife with children; a couple, a single parent with a child or children.
Household income - the amount of money available to a household to spend on their needs
Income – money that you receive eg from working or from benefits paid to you
Income Support – financial assistance paid by Government to individuals or households who qualify
Income Support Residence Test - a test applied by Social Security to decide whether the amount of time you have lived in Jersey means that you are able to apply for Income Support.
Impairment - damage or weakness
Range – here, a selection or series of things
About the Child Personal Care benefit
If you have a child (or children) with a serious or high level of long-term illness or disability but you don’t get Income Support, you can apply for the Child Personal Care benefit. It does not matter how much your household income is.
Full information about this government benefit is available on the Social Security website:
http://www.gov.je/Benefits/SicknessInjury/Pages/ChildPersonalCareBenefit.aspx
Qualifying for the Child Personal Care benefit
To be eligible for Child Personal Care Benefit you must satisfy certain requirements. These are:
- your child must need a very high level of help with their personal care when compared to other children of the same age
- one adult in the household must pass the Income Support residence test
http://www.gov.je/Benefits/IncomeSupport/Pages/IncomeSupportResidenceTest.aspx - the child’s condition must be expected to last at least six months (either before or after the claim is made), but the benefit may be available to children who are terminally ill
- your child must meet the requirements for level two or three of the Personal Care component (see below)
The benefit can be awarded for physical, sensory, emotional and cognitive conditions.
For the purposes of Child Personal Care Benefit a child is a child who is under ‘compulsory school leaving age.’ In Jersey school leaving age is reached on 30th June in the school year that the young person or child has their 16th birthday.
Personal Care Component Levels
A child who needs a ‘high level’ of personal care will always need a lot of help from an adult with activities that a child of the same age would normally be able to do on their own, or with only a small amount of help.
There are three levels of Personal Care.
Children who meet Level One are not eligible for Personal Care benefit, although you may qualify for additional help if you already get Income Support.
Level One
Children with an impairment or condition that affects some parts of their daily life, but who do not need a high level of help. For example, a child with epilepsy who needs help with medication, or a child with asthma who needs assistance to carry out some everyday tasks.
Level two
Children with a high level of impairment who need help with a wide range of their daily activities. For example, a child with learning difficulties who needs a lot of help with getting around and remaining safe, or a child with physical disabilities who needs a lot of help walking, getting dressed, going to the toilet and washing
Level three
Children with a severe level of impairment who need a lot of help with everyday tasks, eg paralysis or very significant learning disabilities. A child who qualifies as Level Three will require a high level of care throughout the day and night.
How much benefit you’ll receive –
Please see the Income Support rates on gov.je.
How to apply for the Child Personal Care benefit
Schools have information telling parents how to apply. Information is also available from the Social Security Department. (see below)
If you have a pre-school child or children who are too young to go to school you’ll need to apply to the Department directly.
If you’re already receiving a Personal Care component for your child through Income Support, you don’t need to apply for Child Personal Care benefit.
Extra help for carers
If you’re caring for a child who meets Level Three of the Personal Care component, you may be able to claim the Home Carer’s Allowance benefit and claim for extra support under Income Support. See
http://www.gov.je/Benefits/Allowances/Pages/HomeCarersAllowance.aspx
More information on all of these benefits is available from the Social Security Department:
Philip Le Feuvre House, La Motte Street, St Helier.
Contact details:
Telephone: 01534 445505
Fax: 01534 445525
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
