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.

And she isn't bloody asking to be paid for caring for three people is she?!

DFOD

Op - just checking - is you dp handing in sick notes to UC ?

@TuesandThursNero my God you are such a fucking arse!

I recognise your username from yesterday when you were literally houding the OP and not commenting anything useful at all. Is this what you do all day? Get a life

Yes, he is. We add the new dates to the journal every month.

I put up a post the other day asking for advice about it. I may have been a bit ranty because I couldn't see the point in going in for the "job search" interview when DP is so unwell. I was tired and frustrated, my excuse anyway 😅

We went in yesterday and the UC guy is sending out the form - is it UC50 or something?? I can't remember the name. It gets the ball rolling for the medical assessment they need to do I believe.

An Occupational Health Physician assessed DP in February and found him unfit for all types of work, including part-time work. We've offered this report to the DWP too but they're not interested.

DP has a GP (phone) appt on 6th June so is going to ask if he can have longer sick notes than just one month at a time. The GP isn't seeing him monthly so it seems a bit pointless. First neurology appt is in September - GP has prescribed some meds but they're not really doing much. GP and the Occ Health Physician have both indicated nothing is likely to change until the neurologist gets involved.

UC guy said if DP has a longer sick note he won't need to see him until it expires, so that would help a lot.

If the children aren't getting dla yet then op want be claiming carers element

And you can only get carers element for one person per uc claim

God seriously get your facts straight before gobbing off and looking like twat.

Op stated she has submitted DLA claims for the children not carers allowance claims

You look very silly now

The LCW/LCWRA element (what the UC 50 form is for) can take a while for assessment but you can ask for it to be escalated after 4 weeks so worth doing.

CAB helped me apply for LCWRA & PIP as my fatigue was so bad I could barely function. I'd ask them for supporting in applying for both LCWRA & DLA for all children affected.

It's a gateway benefit

Call Social Services and social care and tell them you cant do it anymore Watch the skepticism magically disappear when they have to step up

I work for DWP and there’s so much misinformation in this thread.

Firstly, UC staff cannot advise on what exactly you’re entitled to or how much reporting a change would impact your mum’s DLA. They’re Universal Credit benefit processors, not general benefit advisors. This means you report a UC change and they process it, and tell you what the outcome is. They don’t offer comprehensive advice on potential changes ie pull out a calculator to give you exact figures or tell you the impact to 3rd parties or give you advice on other benefits to claim. They don’t get trained in this you see. There also loads of variables that come into play at the time the UC statement generates, so guess work from staff will only led to mismatched expectations if you are subject to benefit cap, certain housing rates, debts or loan repayments, other income deductions such as Carer’s Allowance etc.

The best thing to do is use Citizen’s Advice help to claim provision, or online benefit calculators to check what you’re entitled to as they’re usually accurate.

Report caring activity on your claim. You will get a journal message once verified. This removes requirement to look for work. You can request carer’s element.

Carer’s allowance isn’t mandatory for UC. It is £1 for £1 deduction from UC. CA is paid weekly vs monthly with UC, so the deductions from UC can fluctuate.

You can check if your children’s health allow you to get the “disabled child” element.

If you are self-employed, report this on your account and monthly your income/expenses. If you’re a verified carer, you can’t be found gainfully self employed. You might be called in for a gateway meeting.

Your partner needs to follow UC’s protocol. Your Occ health report is irrelevant. He still needs to submit fit notes, return UC50 and attend an assessment before being given LCW or LCWRA. Same with anyone else….

This shows the steps.

You're absolutely right, @SeemsPointless : as long as you care for the "cared for person" for 35 hours pw, and they get at least DLA middle rate/daily living component of PIP/attendance allowance, you can get the carer's element of UC.

However, if your mum is on means-tested benefits, you claiming the carer's element could mean she loses the severe disability premium (£74.60 pw-ish), if she is getting old-style means tested benefits and is below pension age.

If she's over pension age, I don't think it will make a difference, but I rarely work with clients over pension age, and I'd need to look it up.

itsrainin you are right, there is a lot of misinformation on this thread, including in your post. CA (paid weekly or 4 weekly) is deducted £ for £ from UC, but the deducted amount is averaged out and stable across the year, it doesn’t depend on whether the month is 4 or 5 weeks.

Hi after some advice I have posted in my journal but not received anything yet but both sons are entitled to hrc for DLA I'm a stay at home mum for Thier needs so I claim CA and get care element on UC but obviously I can only claim for one person as rules state but husband cares equally for one of our sons but also works so wouldn't be entitled to CA but would be entitled to the element on UC , I'm wondering if anyone's had anything similar and wether or not they get it back dated?
Thanks
Thanks
Reply