UC back payment timescales

[PurpleSnowDrops]

After reading another thread last week I discovered I should have been receiving disabled child element £495 and carers element £201, I’m sorry if this offends anyone as posters were very het up on the other thread. I enquired with UC to why I wasn’t receiving it a few hours later I had a letter in the journal saying a decision maker had decided special circumstances applied and it will be back dated from 23/05/2023 and the new elements would be added to my monthly statement. It didn’t say what the amount is or when it would be paid, will the back dated amount be added to my next payment? Should I apply for carers allowance as I think over all we would be worse off but I may have misunderstood what I read online.

For transparency I have a husband who works full time, I have 2 dc one of whom is disabled and I don’t work due to caring responsibilities. We rent and meet the earnings threshold so I have no obligation to look for work or attend the job centre appointments.

When i got mine backdated it took a few weeks and went in as a seperate DWP payment. They didnt tell me when it just appeared in my bank account.

That is brilliant you are getting it back. Crap they hadnt been giving you it as they should have been but good they arent quibbling over the back payment as they sometimes do try to.

Re carers allowance they will take it back off your UC pound for pound BUT it protects your national insurance contributions so you should still claim it. You wont be any worse off just not any better off either.

Carers Allowance gets deducted pound for pound off your UC award so you’ll be no better off.

That is a massive back payment. One of my children had similar with a latge PIP backpayment after taking it to tribunal though not thst much but it was 18 months worth.

You mst need to look at what you do with it re savings i think it won't count towards the UC savings limit but you need to look at msking sure on that.

So DLA back payments that give you savings are disregarded for a year for UC purposes. But do get clear advice on it. Not an expert.

Congratulations OP I hope this will help you meet the needs of your disabled child.

Thats carers allowance.
Op is talking about carers element.

We claim carers element at £201 and it isn't deducted.
If we chose to claim carers allowance the allowance would be deducted but you keep the carers element.

Its carers element though. Which is not deducted.

Yes op has put in a claim for disabled child element and caters element which are being backdated.

Brilliant.

She then in her OP asks about carers allowance and if she should claim it as she thinks she might be worse off. I explained she wont be worse off, they will deduct it pound for pound but claiming it offers protection to your national insurance protection credits.

My daughter has recently gone for a middle rate care to higher rate care and lower rate mobility.
I informed universal credit and they changed my last month's statement to the correct amount and sent the arrears straight away

But I am still due one month's payment and the I got a message in my journal that said they have sent it to the backdating team to make a decision?

Does anyone know how long is actually takes?

@Cassiex my award was amended for my next assessment period like you, as for the arrears I heard the following day after making the change with a yes we will backdate the award but not heard how much or when it will be paid as of yet. It’s been 3 weeks today since I was told they would back date, how long have you been waiting?

I've only been waiting 2 weeks so I was just concerned because they changed my statement straight away an issued that arrears for that month.... But because the date of change was in December I am owed money for that assessment period... And it just says it's gone to the backdating team for a decision.
I will give it 4 weeks and if nothing's happened I'll put a message in the journal, I just wanted to see how long everyone ele waited as 2 weeks seems enough time to verify the payment x

So you decided to go ahead and claim anyway despite everyone on your other thread pointing out your morally dubious chafing story as to who was actually doing the “caring”.

But why not eh? The country’s economy’s in freefall but squeeze every possible penny out of the welfare state!

@SimplyBedeviled ? Sorry no idea what you are talking about.

I think you do.

@Julen7 I’m afraid not but I wish I did as I’m now curious.

Apologies, I think I have you confused with someone else.

I thought claiming Carer’s Allowance is taken off your UC but your NI stamps are paid so financially you’re not better off but you get the NI which count towards your pension.

Happy to be corrected

Just to say that today I had a letter in my journal saying my arrears have been paid and will take 5 days.
Have you had any response yet?

@Cassiex thats great news, I’m still waiting to hear back, if I haven’t heard by Friday I will message and ask as it will be 4 weeks by that point.