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Carers Allowance Help

6 replies

Toysaurus · 12/05/2017 14:03

I feel sick and I can't breathe properly. I applied for Carers Allowance 12 weeks ago. I was working full time in a job I loved but had to quit work because I needed to care for my son full time.

The council initially wouldn't pay housing benefit until they knew I had carers allowance. They gave up waiting last week and started paying anyway. So I've had to use CTC and DLA to pay for rent for 12 weeks. And I started getting angry letters from Council Tax who want a grand or so because my bill went missing in the post and of course they don't believe this because it sounds like a lie and this is without any day to day living expenses like food or utilities.

Carers Allowance have the information they asked for. I phoned again in the week and they said a decision was due to be made the next day but they would bring it forwards. I phoned again today and the person dealing with the claim is now on annual leave. How can someone go on annual leave but claims aren't covered when they already promised to hurry it.

I'm almost at the end of my overdraft. It's wiped me out financially. I had to mend my shoes with cardboard and duck tape because they have holes in the bottom and the rain gets in.

How long does everybody else wait? Will they back pay it? It's so stressful.

OP posts:
dataandspot · 12/05/2017 14:06

Hello op.

That is really strange because carers is using really quick to come through as its easy to show proof of receipt of dla or pip.

Could you send a recorded letter or contact your MP?

Toysaurus · 12/05/2017 14:29

It was all to do with earnings from my previous job and that I don't work now. I claimed it before and it was simple. About four weeks to process. I suppose the MP route is the next step. Thanks

OP posts:
LovelyBath77 · 13/05/2017 08:34

Yes, DH can't claim it due to income, it has to be less than £100 a week on average. Hope you get it sorted soon.

Toysaurus · 13/05/2017 10:14

Thanks.

OP posts:
halogreen · 13/05/2017 10:20

It has always been very quick for us (within 2 weeks), but we went from claiming income support to claiming carer's allowance plus income support. So no work details to worry about.

You can start claiming income support as a carer even before your carer's allowance gets awarded. That would have passported you to HB. Have you already put in a claim for income support, because it can be backdated. Carers allowance will be backdated as well. Call up the Carers UK helpline for advice. Are you getting the disability premiums on tax credits?

AndNowItIsSeven · 13/05/2017 14:21

Yes you can claim IS as well as carers allowance. Did you not fill in a non income form with the council?

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