carers allowance question

[thriftychic]

have been awarded dla higher rate care for ds2 and also get child tax credit , i understand that my tax credits should go up but also that i can claim carers allowance which makes tax credit go down.
does anyone know if am still better off claiming carers alowance ?

Yes. Tax Credits only take 40% of every £ after £6420.

In other words, you will gain £3047.76 per year, but lose £1219.10 in Tax Credits.

That makes you £1826.66 better off per year.

Added to that, if you are a lone parent, or your partner works over 16 hours per week, then you can claim help with costs of childcare because you claim Carer's Allowance (that's a new rule brought in last year).

thanks , i will get a form for carers allowance then . i do hope its not another massive one !

i think i filled the CA application in online; was pretty straight forward iirc.

Apply online

I did a postal application at the start of January and got the award a week later. Also don't forget to back date. I could back date mine to October when and the date on my P45.