Advice on carers allowance.

[Noidea2114]

I've looked on the government site but can't find the answer.
One of my relatives has been awarded attendance allowance.
But the care is divided between 3 of us.
A. Does shopping and checks by phone each night when not visiting.
B. Calls on the way home from work. Other jobs around the house.
C. Sorts out finances. Phones most mornings when not visiting.
We share taking to appointments.
Lots of other things to help.
Can one of us claim carers allowance even though one person doesn't do 35 hours a week.

The carers org says no

www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-benefits/carers-allowance#:~:text=If%20you%20care%20for%20more,you%20can%20claim%20Carer's%20Allowance.

No. The point of CA is that the carer is not able to work full time because of the caring responsibilities. None of those things stop you working.

As long as you are all in agreement, I would do just that if there's the entitlement - Attendance allowance doesn't trump CA does it? As in the point of attendance allowance is to allow the person needing care to pay a relative or paid carer to provide what they need. So no need for a separate allowance for a carer? Obviously check that.

But providing there is entitlement, yes, one person should claim it if there's nothing to say you must not and no official provision for it to be shared. No-one's going to following you all around counting the hours that A, B and C put in and the money could always be shared out, if appropriate. Otherwise, especially if you have identified that one of you three is in need of the money more than the other two, just claim it.

Oh, so I see that you can't claim.

Technically no, the person claiming needs to be providing over 35 hours of care (although I’ve never heard of them checking).

The more likely barrier is that if all three of you are working there is an earnings limit if £128 a week. So if you earn more than that (net) you can’t claim. If any of you claim Universal Credit you can instead claim the Carers Element and there’s no earnings limit. But the carer claiming it still has to provide 35 hours of care.

Does the relative live alone with no other adults? If yes, s/he can claim a Severe Disability Premium (SDP) on any means tested benefits IF no one claims Carers Allowance/Carers Element - usually on Pension Credit and Council Tax Reduction. So if you can’t claim Carers, your relative can benefit financially instead.

I get carers allowance for my disabled child you have to provide 35 hours care but nobody checks this tbh my son gets HRC and HRM DLA , somebody has to be in receipt of At least MRC for carers allowance to be claimed for DLA and PIP ( not sure about attendance allowance)

Although a carer has to be caring for 35 hours pw to qualify, the definition of what counts as caring is quite broad. It doesn't have to be time spent with the disabled person - it can include things like doing shopping, batch cooking, time spent transporting them and cleaning, organising their prescriptions and appointments, coordinating care, chatting to them by phone, taking them out for a coffee or walk. So it can add up to 35 hours when you add in all the little extra tasks. You could also reallocate the tasks between you to allow one person to cover 35 hours rather than splitting it between you all. They don't expect a log of everything you do every week, they take your word for it. But if you earn over £128pw net, then you wouldn't be able to claim.

I'm sorry, you want to be paid for calling your relative every day?

When each of us visit we also help her with housework. Do the washing. At the moment she can wash and dress herself.
We Make her meals and leave in the freezer. Collect medicines. Make sure bills are paid.
If you work it out we between us visit, shop etc we are at her house up to 40 hours per week plus the phone calls.
It's just not one person there 35hours.

I would get one of you to apply for it then split the money between you if you can, if any of you qualify. Why was she granted attendance allowance? she obviously needs help.

Can one of us claim carers allowance even though one person doesn't do 35 hours a week.

I'm presuming none of you work or work much if you all qualify.

One has taken early retirement (61). One was made redundant through this pandemic. One of these doesn't receive any income.
One works around the corner so calls after work and has his evening meal with her.

She has been diagnosed with dementia.

Well the one that works may not be entitled and the one with no income probably needs it the most?

Redundant sis needs to up the care hours.

None of you are entitled because none of you care for this individual solely for 35 hours per week, claiming would be benefit fraud.

Have you totalled up how much you each do individually to see if any of you is actually hitting the 35hrs? You should include all time spent doing things for your relative, even things like organising finances, booking appointments, calling to check on her, phoning to check on her, and so on.