Universal credit and caring

[SeemsPointless]

Hi all,

MN was fantastic in helping me with a query re UC the other day so I'm hoping someone here might know the answer to this.

Situation: I started a UC claim in Feb, I am a F/T carer for DM, but I also work on a self-employed basis. I only earn a modest amount but my income is too high for Carer's Allowance, so I've never claimed it.

The UC man told me yesterday that I if I claim the Carer's element of Universal Credit, my DM will lose some of her money - she gets DLA at the highest rates (she has cerebral palsy - I've been her carer my whole life).

The problem is, the UC man said he didn't know how much money Mum would lose - said it should only be "a bit". He said he had never encountered a situation before where someone was a carer but had earnings that were too high for Carer's Allowance, so he had no idea what the actual figures would be....

I really don't earn very much, and getting the carer's element of UC would really help. But I don't want to take money out of Mum's pocket! Mum has told me to tell UC I am her carer - I have been named on her DLA paperwork for years. But she doesn't know that she'll lose money.

Can anyone tell me, or point to where I can find out, exactly how much money Mum would lose if I start receiving the carer's element of UC please? I can't seem to find anything online!

If I get more than she would lose, I could pay her back and still have a bit extra.

Really grateful for any help.

OP, my local Citizen's Advice are really helpful with this. If they aren't available in your area, there should be a local carer support service (try Carers UK) or a charity aimed at people with the disabilities in your family: these often have a welfare advice service attached.

If those aren't possible, I think it's the carer element of the disability benefits that's stopped, so you could try finding out which that is.

Or of course keep your working hours and income under the threshold :(.

Another idea aside from this if you haven't already is to look into 'direct payments' as a carer and for your mother, which are run by individual councils and can only be used to pay for specific things, such as respite or exercise, therapy, for yourself.

Uc are correct ( for once ! ) You can definitely claim carers element without claiming carers allowance .

Gingerbread might also have a benefits advisor phoneline if you're a single parent. They did when I tried them a few years back.

Oh and your local Age UK, if you're asking regarding your mother's.

Sorry to bombard you, I also have adhd :)

When you consider they estimate that around £15 billion of benefits go unclaimed every year it’s not that surprising

What benefits does your Mum get other than PIP?

Does she get ESA? What about any housing benefits?

If the op is claiming carers element for caring for 2 children full time
and working full time

I think this will intrigue the DWP if the op then submits a claim stating she cares for a min of 35 hours of her mother

And if they aren’t intrigued… then I’m worried about their due diligence process!

If you can claim as a carer, it might mean you'll get national insurance for your pension, also, which otherwise might stop when your youngest is 12, so that's worth factoring in. It's all quite complicated so worth writing a list of questions and getting an appointment with an advisor. I did that when I started work while still a carer and it was really helpful.

Op if your mum gets sdp ( you need to know what benefits she gets) then this sdp is £76.40 per week so your mum would lose this if you claim carers element of UC. carers element of UC is around £185.86 per month so less than what your mum would lose. I know when someone makes a claim for carers allowance they write to the cared for person and I assume it is the same for claiming UC carers element.

If your DM gets ESA or pension credit she will lose the SDP part.

Yes and a letter is sent to the cared for person to advise someone has stated they care for them and they will lose SDP.

She isn't already claiming carers element otherwise why would she be asking about claiming it for her mum? She said she hasn't yet claimed DLA for her disabled children so wouldn't yet be eligible to claim carers.

For the people frothing. If DWP didn't recognise that many people have to combine full time work with a caring role, then the rule would be you can't claim at all if you work.

If all the people caring and working full time suddenly stopped doing one or the other it would cost the tax payer billions either in paying benefits to the carers no longer working or paying for carers for the disabled person.

DWP do not ever check up on the amount of caring someone does, they assume that if that disabled person has been awarded a disability benefit( which are hard to get ) then they can reasonably require 35 hours of care a week in one form or another. many many people care for more than one person but can only claim carers once.

Yes but this is working full time and caring for 3 people full time…. Meaning a total of 105 hours a week of caring.

That's right. You automatically recieve NI credits if you receive carer's allowance.

You sound like a nasty piece of work - what exactly are you doing on this thread? op asked for advice.

Yes and there are 168 hours in a week.

So works full time on top of that.

so min 140 hours

leaving 20 hours a week for everything else.

if the DWP don’t make enquiries then come on… would you not question the process?

Don't forget, there are around 168 hours in 1 singe week.
It is very easy to be a carer and work at the same time. Millions of people do this in the UK.
Look at the children who are full time carers for their parents and attend education full time simultaneously.
Id give up on this thread of I were you.

How is it nasty? Would the DWP be “nasty” if they ask

how can you work full time and say that you care for three people full time single-handedly. One of whom in a different location.

You can only claim the carers allowance once right? So are you claiming it for your 10 yo? Then any loses and gains would sit solely in your household. You should still be better off I think? Obv that doesn't change the physicality of you being your Mom's carer but it would simplify the claims and money

Full time and caring full time for one person - absolutely

for 3?

No I wouldn't question it. caring can be supervision or just being there in case of problems and some of those hours can double up if supervising 2 disabled kids at the same time. You just need to use your brain a little more to understand.