A GRANDMOTHER from Swadlincote has won permission from a high court judge to challenge a council over its carers allowance.

08:38 Thursday 03 January 2013  Written by BY HELEN KREFT

The 67-year-old, who cares for her 13-year-old grandson, and at one stage was also caring for her granddaughter, receives a residence allowance from Derbyshire County Council, which is just 58 per cent of a fostering allowance. However, with the help of Ridley and Hall – a specialist grandparent carers solicitors, she will now challenge the policy, saying it would have cost the county council a fortune putting the children into foster care.

The children were placed with her in 2000 by Social Services who encouraged her to apply for a residence order, as the children’s’ parents were not able to properly care for them.