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Original poster

Carers Allowance WTF

136 replies

MagicPharmacist · 31/03/2025 08:40

Due to an absolutely perfect storm of shit happenings, my dad died, my mum has Parkinson’s and I lost my part time job, we’ve made a decision that rather than look for another job right now I will care for my mum. I’m very happy to do this and we are fortunate enough that I can be on minimal income for now, although obviously not ideal.

I do a little bit of self employed work, no where near the threshold. My mum gets attendance allowance so she told me to apply for carers allowance.

But the numbers make NO SENSE to me. It’s not anything I’ve ever had to look at before but how the fuck do they justify this?

£81 a week for 35hrs caring (and obviously it’s more than this for most people). And then on top of that you are only allowed to earn £150? Why? What’s the justification?

And then the new cap will be £196 earnings which is equivalent to 16hrs at minimum wage. Why? Why are they so invested in keeping carers poor?

I don’t really understand why this is a means tested benefit. Surely it’s in the government interests to have family carers? £81 a week for 35 hours minimum work and then you can ONLY make less than 800 a month on the side? How do they expect people to live?

I’m ENRAGED. Not necessarily for myself; we won’t starve as my husband has a good job. But if he earned less we would be fucked, my mum would either have to have carers in every day or go into a care home.

Oh god and the hoops to jump through as well; the form was a nightmare and they want so much info about me and my previous employment and current income. And it takes at least six weeks for a decision…could be months.

AIBU to be shocked by this?

OP posts:
Titasaducksarse · 31/03/2025 19:08

It is awful particularly as unpaid carers save the government billions a year.

Miley23 · 31/03/2025 19:07

Lovelysausagedogscrumpy · 31/03/2025 19:06

UC treat carers allowance as income and deduct 55p for every £1 and give you back the difference.

Show quote history

Carers allowance is actually deducted in full from UC but a carers element added.

Lovelysausagedogscrumpy · 31/03/2025 19:06

Miley23 · 31/03/2025 18:21

The form isn't a nightmare and the online form is even simpler. It basically just asks what you earn and who you are caring for.
Carers on a low household income can claim UC as well.
Your mum can give you her Attendance allowance as well if she wishes- that would be £110 ( from next week ) per week. The money is there to pay for care and the extra costs of a disability.

Edited

UC treat carers allowance as income and deduct 55p for every £1 and give you back the difference.

Lovelysausagedogscrumpy · 31/03/2025 19:04

nahthatsnotforme · 31/03/2025 08:47

What do you think would be fairer OP? A lower threshold of earnings? A higher payment?

The carers allowance demands at least 35 hours of care per week. So at £83.30 per week that’s £2.38 an hour. So both.

Sheeparelooseagain · 31/03/2025 18:58

"and most people that genuinely need full time care can access it through their councils. "

Don't talk daft.

MarkingBad · 31/03/2025 18:34

CopperWhite · 31/03/2025 17:54

You’re saying that you won’t get universal credit but also that you don’t really need it because your husband earns enough. People who need universal credit will get it, so I don’t see the problem.

If you really needed to earn more you would work more and most people that genuinely need full time care can access it through their councils. Providing support for immediate family doesn’t need to attract a wage from the government.

Where is this magical council?

I can tell you after caring for 2 sets of relatives in two adjacent councils, this is not happening in my area of the South East. It took years to get even the most basic level of help, then the carers call you up several times a day asking you to fetch and carry. It's honestly a horrible system that has been unfit for purpose for decades.

Miley23 · 31/03/2025 18:32

ssd · 31/03/2025 09:12

When i thought about trying to get carers allowance for looking after my mum i was told the amount i would get would automatically come off her attendance allowance, is that still true?

No it doesn't come off her Attendance Allowance but if the cared for person lives alone and gets a severe disability premium on a benefit like ESA or Pension credit then they lose that when someone starts to claim carers allowance for them. So it could be pension credit that is reduced by not AA.

MightAsWellBeGretel · 31/03/2025 18:24

Totally agree, its an absolute disgrace.

Governments never really care about the most vulnerable in society, they care about who is going to kick off if they're not provided for, and disabled people and their carers are very low risk of that.

Politicians are all a bunch of shit heads.

Miley23 · 31/03/2025 18:21

The form isn't a nightmare and the online form is even simpler. It basically just asks what you earn and who you are caring for.
Carers on a low household income can claim UC as well.
Your mum can give you her Attendance allowance as well if she wishes- that would be £110 ( from next week ) per week. The money is there to pay for care and the extra costs of a disability.

Bluebell865 · 31/03/2025 18:16

If you really needed to earn more you would work more and most people that genuinely need full time care can access it through their councils. Providing support for immediate family doesn’t need to attract a wage from the government.

not sure on what planet you live but that's not the case. most people cannot even get a few hours respite. There is absolutely fuck all out there to support carers.

CopperWhite · 31/03/2025 17:54

You’re saying that you won’t get universal credit but also that you don’t really need it because your husband earns enough. People who need universal credit will get it, so I don’t see the problem.

If you really needed to earn more you would work more and most people that genuinely need full time care can access it through their councils. Providing support for immediate family doesn’t need to attract a wage from the government.

Ilovecleaning · 31/03/2025 17:46

I know 2 people who get Carers Allowance and do fuck all for it. They don’t live with the relatives and they visit maybe once a week. That’s it. Pisses me off that lazy individuals can get £80+ a week for doing nothing.
I know this wasn’t the point of the post…

Binman · 31/03/2025 17:40

@MagicPharmacist has your mother had her benefits checked since your dad died? If she gets pension credit and attendance allowance she might lose some or all of this if you claim carers allowance for her.

unsync · 31/03/2025 17:31

The main purpose of CA is to ensure that NI contributions are made which is why it is only paid to people below State Pension age.

Of course if we were paid at NLW rates of £11.44, we should be getting over £400 per week. At the current rate, the 35 hours works out at £2.34 per hour. That shows how much we are valued, especially as the majority of family carers do many more hours than this.

It is also nigh on impossible to get any help or support.

Pherian · 31/03/2025 17:22

MagicPharmacist · 31/03/2025 08:40

Due to an absolutely perfect storm of shit happenings, my dad died, my mum has Parkinson’s and I lost my part time job, we’ve made a decision that rather than look for another job right now I will care for my mum. I’m very happy to do this and we are fortunate enough that I can be on minimal income for now, although obviously not ideal.

I do a little bit of self employed work, no where near the threshold. My mum gets attendance allowance so she told me to apply for carers allowance.

But the numbers make NO SENSE to me. It’s not anything I’ve ever had to look at before but how the fuck do they justify this?

£81 a week for 35hrs caring (and obviously it’s more than this for most people). And then on top of that you are only allowed to earn £150? Why? What’s the justification?

And then the new cap will be £196 earnings which is equivalent to 16hrs at minimum wage. Why? Why are they so invested in keeping carers poor?

I don’t really understand why this is a means tested benefit. Surely it’s in the government interests to have family carers? £81 a week for 35 hours minimum work and then you can ONLY make less than 800 a month on the side? How do they expect people to live?

I’m ENRAGED. Not necessarily for myself; we won’t starve as my husband has a good job. But if he earned less we would be fucked, my mum would either have to have carers in every day or go into a care home.

Oh god and the hoops to jump through as well; the form was a nightmare and they want so much info about me and my previous employment and current income. And it takes at least six weeks for a decision…could be months.

AIBU to be shocked by this?

You’re best off not having a second income in their eyes.

You should also see if you can move your tax allowance to your husband so he pays less tax and brings home more.

JenniferBooth · 31/03/2025 16:56

EilonwyWithRedGoldHair · 31/03/2025 10:26

People these days may have moved away from their families, are likely to have had children later so may still have school aged children at home, or may just not be able to afford to give up work to provide full time care if it's needed. Smaller families as well.

As for expecting to be paid for caring - people need to eat, keep a roof over their heads, pay the bills. And it's a lot cheaper for the state to give a pathetic amount of benefits to support carers than the alternatives.

Show quote history

Yep

MN "if you cant afford to live in the town you grew up in then move. Dont be so entitled"
Also MN "why arent you available to care for your elderly parents. dont be so selfish"

YouFetidMoppet · 31/03/2025 16:46

Cunningfungus · 31/03/2025 08:44

I guess the argument might be that you can’t be a full time carer and work full time/significant amount of hours. There is also an expectation that families will care for their loved ones as part of their family duties, like they do more on other countries.,

I’m aware that many people probably run themselves into the ground doing just that, but I expect that’s why the limits will be there.

I agree that the allowance is rubbish and it would cost a lot more for paid carers or nursing home care.

Edited

You do realise people provide care at night too? Without working full time there are still 130 odd hours left in a week.

Bluebell865 · 31/03/2025 16:41

LaraS2511 · 31/03/2025 14:17

It’s to stop people abusing the system (like they have been doing for years). You can’t work full time & care for someone, it’s not feasible but time & time people have tried it on. I’m not saying you are at all but it’s families like you who are now struggling to navigate a system because of the dishonesty of others.

if course you can. Many people need 24/7 care. there are 168h per week. Even if you allocate 56h for sleeping, it still leave 112h. I work 20h and care 70-90 hours on top. Unpaid carers have ridiculously long weeks and most work far more than the measly 35h employees have to deliver. Disabled people's disability does just run through office hours. Your post is just hugely ignorant. You clearly never cared for someone yourself and hence don't know how relentless it is. The government min criteria for CA is 35h per week but most carers deliver far more and if you care for multiple people, you still only qualify for 1 set of carers allowance. Educate yourself before posting nonsense.

QueefQueen80s · 31/03/2025 16:08

Very shit system.
they pay you even when you earn over the threshold so you have to worry about paying it back some day.
they take away the other persons benefits in some circumstances, even though the tiny amount of carers allowance is for you to live and nothing to do with paying for the person.

MferMonsterSearchingForRedemption · 31/03/2025 16:00

I am a carer, but about to leave work to become a full time carer for the foreseeable.

I already get the carers element of UC. So it seems that there is no point applying for carers allowance as UC will just take all the money? So maybe just keeping the carers element of UC and then applying for carer's credit for my pension might be a lot easier?

BoredZelda · 31/03/2025 15:55

LaraS2511 · 31/03/2025 14:17

It’s to stop people abusing the system (like they have been doing for years). You can’t work full time & care for someone, it’s not feasible but time & time people have tried it on. I’m not saying you are at all but it’s families like you who are now struggling to navigate a system because of the dishonesty of others.

No it isn’t. The 35 hour rule has always been there. If people claim the allowance whilst working more than 35 hours, it’s fraudulent and is no different to fraudulently claiming any other benefit. They don’t make other benefits harder to get just because of fraud, but time and time again they tighten rules and make it harder to get any disability related benefit.

The fraud rate on Carer’s allowance is around 3%, £4million.
The fraud rate on universal credit is nearly 11%, £5.66 billion.

I know which one I’d be targeting.

BoredZelda · 31/03/2025 15:35

YANBU to be upset at the system.
YABU to be shocked by it. Carers have been getting a very poor deal for a very long time and have been very vocal about it. Unfortunately nobody has paid attention to it because they are too damned knackered to be able to put up much of a fight about it.

When my daughter was younger, I wanted to give up my job because it was too difficult to provide care for her and work full time, given the amount of doctor’s appointments, meetings, therapies etc she needed. The government decided that my time to do that was worth buttons. But, they would throw more money at me to be able to put her in nursery, where she couldn’t fully get what she needed.

No government have ever cared enough about disabled people and their carers.

celticprincess · 31/03/2025 15:32

Hayley1256 · 31/03/2025 08:57

I think a lot of cares also claim UC and other benefits- I'm not 100% sure but from what I've read that seems to be the case

Carers allowance is deducted £4£ off a universal credit claim. It’s an overlapping benefit not an addition. If claiming UV you can get carers element added on which is £190 something. It also removes your work requirement if you have the carers element. So you don’t have to work but any work you do is subject to deductions from your UC award.

Also to claim carers allowance the person being carers for needs to be claiming either PIP or attendance allowance. So that paperwork needs completing as well if they don’t claim already.

MarkingBad · 31/03/2025 15:25

jellyfishperiwinkle · 31/03/2025 15:23

True, but if the older person being cared for is travelling in their daughter's car to appointments, the daughter is the one incurring the cost. I don't claim CA but my mum gets AA and insists on reimbursing me for any costs associated with stuff we need for her illness, even though I don't ask for it.

Show quote history

That's fair enough when it is used to what it is intended for.

jellyfishperiwinkle · 31/03/2025 15:23

MarkingBad · 31/03/2025 15:17

The person cared for has to have AA for the carer to claim CA already. AA is not for carers it's for additional expenses attending appointments etc.

I worked for a short time in DWP for my sins

Show quote history

True, but if the older person being cared for is travelling in their daughter's car to appointments, the daughter is the one incurring the cost. I don't claim CA but my mum gets AA and insists on reimbursing me for any costs associated with stuff we need for her illness, even though I don't ask for it.