When do I apply for Carers Allowance?

[ButterflyKu]

Posting for traffic!

I’m facing redundancy at work and I wondered how soon after being made redundant, can I apply for Carers Allowance? Can I apply on my last day of work? Or do I wait until I receive my last payslip?

DD has been accepted to use 30 funded hours at a new nursery school starting this September so losing my job has really messed things up! Slightly panicking so wondered what I need to do to ensure this goes as smoothly as possible.

Will it be as simple as being made redundant, apply for CA, accepted for CA, claim the 30 hours funded code from GOV and she can start in September? Or am I being slightly naive here. Helpppp

You can apply as soon as you leave your job. It takes 4-6 weeks generally to get sorted and they might not start your award for the first month as they expect your last pay check to cover that (at least that’s what they did to me many years ago)

No because the 30 hours are so all adults in the household can work.if you are a carer then you are not available to provide childcare for the working parent.

@ButterflyKu Ah, right, I understand. I (quite clearly) don’t know about all this so my question was sincere.

Oh yes because it’s oh so easy to find a job, especially one that fits around the lives of not one, but TWO disabled children. If you bothered to read the full thread, you’d see that I said I’m going to try and find a job by the time the grace period ends.

If claiming CA would have made me eligible for the 30 funded hours then I would have done that automatically. It’s difficult enough caring for both children let alone throwing work into the mix. Thanks for the advice though

Caring is the most flexible job out there and usually the highest paid for a part time/zero hours type job. Good luck!

You can apply for the code now while you are working. You have a 3- 4 month grace period. Your 30 free hours do not stop straight away. Apply now and it won't run out until December 31st.

Look at this link ( it's the same for the whole of England)

st-josephs.islington.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/30-Hours-Free-Childcare.pdf

Thank you, I actually tried to apply for it today. The system wouldn’t let me as I still have the code for the 15 hours which she’s currently using. When I reconfirm my details next month, I’ll be able to apply! It’s reassuring to know about the grace period though, that’s definitely a relief that the hours aren’t taken from your straight away

What! The op is a carer fur her children. It's not her career.

If you'd read the thread you'll see I mean caring as a job 🤦‍♀️ not her own children.

Caring as a job isn’t actually so easy or flexible when you are a carer to 2 disabled DC.

I did read it, but why suggest she becomes a carer it's an exploitative underpaid job and not at all flexible.

It is the complete opposite of everything you've just said. You've clearly never been a carer. It's the most flexible job I've ever known and well paid in comparison to other part time jobs such as retail, hospitality and teaching assistants.

It's the most flexible job I've ever known

Not when you are also an unpaid carer to 2 disabled DC, it isn’t.

The day after redundancy, you can apply for contributions based job seekers allowance.