How do I add carers element to universal credit?

[PinkPolkaDotUmberella]

Got an existing UC, dh works full time earning 67K a year, we have 2 dc and rent from a HA, we get roughly £650pcm UC. I’ve been caring full time for my mil for a few years and recently found out from the district nurse that as mil gets PIP at the highest rate I am entitled to claim carers element from UC. How would I go about claiming this element? Mil doesn’t live with us but I care for her 7 days per week and over the minimum 35 hours a week.

I’m not sure I understand UC properly but I know when I couldn’t work at all for 7 years (severely disabled DD) and DH earned about £32,000 we didn’t qualify for any kind of UC payment.. but we have a mortgage and no childcare (DD goes to school and I care for her the rest of the time).
Presumably it’s because the IP both rents AND uses childcare of some form or other that they qualify? Though I’m also a bit baffled that the carer element didn’t apply for her for caring for her disabled child if they live in a fully adapted house (which suggests the child has significant mobility issues but I suppose not necessarily depending on what IP means by fully adapted).
I live in a house we had adapted as DD needs ceiling hoists and cannot stand or walk so has a wheelchair and a ramp..
But with a mortgage that doesn’t qualify for benefits..

Sorry OP not IP

Someone earning 67 k should not be entitled to universal credit. Absolutely ludicrous.

I think people like the OP might find themselves with less come the benefit changes. Rightly so.

We're similar with 2dcs. Rent £1300pcm
Income combined £54k pa.

Crazy.

Will they?
What changes are these?

I don’t usually comment on benefits threads because I claim UC myself but it seems mad that so much is payable to a family with an income of 67k. I earn about 36k, get £170 a month UC, 1 adult 2 kids. Not complaining about the amount I get btw i just don’t understand how they work out what is reasonable.

Spot on

Unlikely, vote losing strategy.

Not going off the responses in this thread it isn’t.

Why don't you claim carer's allowance and element for your child?

What benefit changes? Op already gets UC child element for all three of her kids. Some people in a similar situation to her will only be getting child element for two kids due to the kids ages but come the lifting of the two child cap in April those families will be better off. The changes will pull even more people on higher incomes into being able to claim UC . This is on top of the standard rate for everyone increasing way above inflation in April. The people affected by the negative changes in April ( the halving of the LCWRA element for new claimants too unwell to work ) will be people already on the bones of their arses not ones like op on 67k ( more if DLA accounted for also).

@Gingerkittykat I haven’t been claiming it because I didn’t know it was available, despite what everyone believes DWP do not openly offer out this information.
I have since found out from UC that I should having been claiming this for my child and they have offered to back date the carers element to the start of our claim. They also advised carers element is not income based like carers allowance so dh can claim it for his mother because he also provides more than 35 hours a week care to her.

I thought you said you were caring for MIL?

@Julen7 yes I do care for mil every single day, I also care for my child every single day, my husband also cares for his mum before/after work and on weekends and shockingly he also cares for our child!

SIXTY SEVEN THOUSAND POUNDS, too much for child benefit, yet can claim UC.

This country is FUCKED.

Hmmm. Some discrepancies in your posts, including the fact your opening post says you have two children and then subsequent posts it changes to three. Hope you got your story straight with DWP.

The information is very easily found on the Gov.uk website and also when you make the UC claim it asks you explicitly if you are a carer for anyone?
Oh well with two carers elements now added to your claim that will be an additional £400+ a month more. As I said upthread please check your mother in law doesn't get a severe disability premium as she would lose this if your husband starts claiming carers element for caring for her.

Ha, another of these threads just to try to get people frothing.

either it’s not true, or if it is, then it’s a system which ultimately will trap people in crap situations. You’re living at the whim of the government if you rely on benefits and we all know reforms will happen as the system is unsustainable. Plus any benefits for caring responsibilities or children are obviously time limited, as children grow up!

obviously it’s bonkers if someone whose husband is on 67k is getting more money from public funds - but they’ll be screwed later in life with shit provision for older age (and probably very little incentive to do anything about it in the meanwhile)

I really not sure if people are trying to be offensive on purpose or just struggle with lateral thinking. My mil is dying and wants to do that in her own home surrounded by her family that love her. Between dh and I we can provide the 24 hour care she needs, yes she gets a visit each day from the district nurse. So why would that mean I’m not looking after my kids?????

I think a lot of people will be voting for whichever party makes big changes to benefits tbh.

I think so.

Yes you are saving the government a lot of money by providing care for her. I don't think anyone objects to that. I think it is just the 67k salary that people are struggling with and the amount of benefits received but you have a disabled child and rent to pay so the help is available to you at a level that the government deems reasonable. Most of your UC will just be going no doubt to pay your landlords mortgage off. I wish you all the best op, it can't be an easy situation to be in.

They rent from HA. Once carers it taken into account it’s equivalent to an £87k salary, and that before any DLA is added on (if it is, I’m not sure it’s been mentioned). This is what people object to it’s a huge amount of money in benefits on top of an already high salary.