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Original poster

Carers Allowance Query

21 replies

BiscuitDunker · 19/08/2013 16:13

Not really sure where to post this but here seemed like a good place to start...

My DD has ASD and has just been awarded DLA highest rate care so we're now also entitled to the highest disability element of Child Tax credits. My query is this-is it worth me applying for Carers Allowance or not? I know it will reduce the amount of tax credits but I've no idea how much it will knock off and whether I'd be better off claiming CA or not?

As a bit of info incase it makes a difference- DH works full time (earning around £13k a year) so we also get working tax credits. I don't work or claim any benefits. We don't receive housing benefit or council tax benefit or whatever they're calling it now.

Can anyone help or advise me at all? I've tried looking it up online but I can't get a straight answer anywhere but I don't want to apply if its not going to be worth it!

OP posts:
beldaran · 19/08/2013 16:47

You can claim CA if you earn under £100 per week after tax/ni and expenses.

It is counted as a taxable social security benefit in the eyes of the CTC people, but it is £59.75 per week extra so it might be worth plumbing your current details into entitledto (its an online benefit checker) so you can see what you get now and then put in the details plus carers allowance and it should give you an estimated figure so you can compare the two before you make a decision.

HTH

PersonalClown · 19/08/2013 16:52

I'd put in a claim. And for HB too.

My DP earns about 19k a year and I still get Carers. There is a higher allowance for Child Tax Credits as they take into account that a disabled child costs you more.

Original poster
BiscuitDunker · 19/08/2013 17:14

Thank you :) I will see what entitledto calculator comes out with.

PersonalClown do you think we could get some amount HB just because DD gets high rate DLA? I didn't think it made a difference as I assumed it was based on income rather than personal circumstances but I guess there's no harm in asking them...

OP posts:
PersonalClown · 19/08/2013 17:23

It is done on income but the amount they say is required to live on is different when a disability is involved.
I only know this because I've had to apply for HB in the last few weeksv as Dp is recovering from a hernia op so is on SSP but with our normal income, we were entitled to £45 a week off our rent.

Original poster
BiscuitDunker · 19/08/2013 17:30

Oh right! Well I'll give my local council office a ring tomorrow morning and see what they say then. Thank you :)

OP posts:
PearlyWhites · 19/08/2013 17:34

Your applicable amount for hb purposes will change basically they ignore £57 of your weekly income if you have a disabled child. Try putting your income minus £57 a week into entitled too.
As for carers allowance you should be better of by 40p in every pound and it will be next years award that changes they won't be interested until April.

sophj100 · 19/08/2013 18:37

Yes definitely. I applied for this and got it, no problems. Go on the website and apply online - quite speedy too in reply & funding. Good luck.

Original poster
BiscuitDunker · 19/08/2013 19:55

Thanks for that PearlyWhites sounds like its worth looking into then :)

I was going to ask how long it generally takes when you apply for CA but you've pretty much answered that for me soph! They were really quick doing DDs DLA award too (form said 8 weeks,reality was 10days!) :)

OP posts:
PearlyWhites · 19/08/2013 21:31

Biscuit, I have just remembered they will also ignore another £33 of your income for hb purposes when you get carers allowance due to the carer premium.

PearlyWhites · 19/08/2013 21:37

This is your applicable amounts( add an extra young person premium for each additional child.
Family 17.40
Disabled child 57.89
Couple 112.55
Young person 65.62
Carer 33.30

Add those up and deduct from your dh net income, plus tax credits and carers allowance ( all weekly) but NOT including dla, and child benefit or any child care costs. The difference will be your eligible weekly housing benefit award.

Original poster
BiscuitDunker · 20/08/2013 09:09

Wow! Thank you PearlyWhites Flowers Looks like we should get HB based on what you've put as all the amounts (except young person) apply to us and the difference comes back that we're eligable for more HB than what our weekly rent actually is Hmm

I played around with the entitledto and tax credits calculators last night and have decided to apply for CA as the difference in our tax credit award with it and without it was £15 a week so we would be £45 better off each week claiming CA :)

So grateful for everyones help Grin Thanks

OP posts:
PearlyWhites · 20/08/2013 10:11

No prob I just copied it from my hb award , I applied for carers allowance for my dd last month. They are they the amounts for Liverpool but hopefully they will be the same or similar nationwide .
Young person is a child under 18 btw bit confusing because it implies a teen.
Hopefully you should get full hb , tbh on an income of 13k I am surprised you weren't getting some help with rent anyway.

PearlyWhites · 20/08/2013 10:15

Just to clarify for your dd you will get the young person amount PLUS a disabled child premium. ( then an extra young person for any other children )

Original poster
BiscuitDunker · 20/08/2013 11:44

I'm in Essex but I'd guess the amounts are probably around the same... Oh really! Well that knocks even more off my total and we have a baby due in 8wks so that would take even more off!

We were getting HB when we were on a joint JSA claim when DH lost his job but once he started his new job they stopped our HB and council tax benefit and told us to re-apply to see if we were still entitled to anything but when I ran the figures through the direct.gov benefits entitlement calculator it came back that we're not entitled to any benefits,just tax credit and carers allowance,so I didn't bother re-applying!

Going to take the advice given and apply for it now though seeing as we do seem to qualify despite what the gov website will have me believe!

OP posts:
PearlyWhites · 20/08/2013 12:47

Yes definitely apply, we lost out on £1800 of hb that they refused to backdate because we thought we weren't entitled to hb and were given incorrect information.

Original poster
BiscuitDunker · 20/08/2013 13:05

That's really bad! DH hasn't been in his new job too long so hopefully they'll be happy to backdate our claim to the point where they stopped it. Amazing how they try to prevent people claiming what they're entitled to but giving out false info! Its not right!

OP posts:
sophj100 · 20/08/2013 13:07

I also missed out on 2 years of DLA because it simply never occurred to me that he would qualify as being 'disabled' or with 'disability'. They also wouldn't back-date it. It took a chat with another mother to find that I could claim this, along with Carer's Allowance, which I also receive and both are a great help.

It's always best to try and claim for as much help as possible, the worst they can do is say no! This and the WAND card, which entitles them to reduced or free entry to a lot of events and the Carer goes free, is definitely a money / queue saver.

Original poster
BiscuitDunker · 20/08/2013 13:22

We've been lucky in the DLA sense as we were told as soon as we got DD diagnosed that we could get it for her along with Carers Allowance but CA is the one I've been dubious about claiming as I knew it was classed as income and would effect TC but I just couldn't find out how much it would effect it.

As for HB,it just didn't occur to me that we would be entitled to it as when I rang up the council to tell them we had come off JSA due to DH starting full time work they weren't interested in working out if we would still be entitled or not because its a full time job and he's paid above minimum wage and the gov calculator came back saying we couldn't get HB so I just never bothered to re-apply.

What's a WAND card and how would I apply/find out if we can get one? I've never heard of it Confused

OP posts:
sophj100 · 20/08/2013 17:43

Yes, BiscuitDunker, it does affect your TC but not sure to what degree - you'd need to check this.

The WAND card is issued to a child with disabilities (in my boys cases ASD) and allows them discounted entry or, in some cases free entry, to many attrations within the Wandsworth Borough. We also have an M Card, which is provided by Merton Borough as we are on the border, so frequent places in both boroughs. This includes leisure centres and even Battersea Park Children's Zoo, where we are going tomorrow!

You can apply on the LA website for both and is a real money-saver, as you being their carer, go free!

Original poster
BiscuitDunker · 20/08/2013 19:24

Worked out CA would only effect my TC by around £15 so I've applied for CA :)

That card sounds great soph,will look on my LA website and see if they do one as I'm not in the same area as you but we do have quite a few tourist attractions in my town so it would come in handy!

Enjoy your trip to the childrens zoo tomorrow! Bet your boys will love it! Grin

OP posts:
Rbulloch12 · 20/05/2018 16:24

Do u know if respite care payment is paid in scotland?

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