Useful information for everyone getting Carer's Allowance

[lougle]

I just had my SW around, who has decided I need to use the Community Buddy scheme for 2 hours of care that they have assessed DD as needing.

I asked him if I could use Tax Credits towards it and he said 'I don't think so, because a) no other parents have told me about it and they would have done and b) there's a whole hoo-ha over the fact that they aren't carer's, they're buddies.

Being me, I thought 'we'll see'.

"If a care worker or nurse cares for your child

You can get tax credits for childcare costs if you use a care worker or nurse from an agency registered for providing care in the home. For example, a domiciliary care worker." HMRC

So, if your county has Community Buddy schemes (normally you pay £5 per hour for a buddy to be with your child) and you get Carer's allowance and you get Tax Credits and you are on a lowish income, you could get up to 70% of the fee paid by tax credits.

DH is on a low income and I've just worked out that we would get the full 70%, meaning that our cost would be £1.50 per hour for DD's time.

I think this is a new thing. Sounds good to me though.

Well it replaced Aiming Higher and the Childcare element of tax credits for carer's only came in, in April 2012.

We use DS direct payments for an agency carer - we pay the agency direct - does that mean we can claim those costs as 'childcare', our tax credits would increase accordingly and we would actually be able to afford more hours of care?

I'm not sure if that would be seen as double dipping, but HMRC could tell you. The agency itself would count as eligible care though.