Should I apply for career allowance?

[adrianna22]

Hi,

I receive the high rate care (DLA) for DS and didn't apply for careers allowance as at the time as I thought it would of affected my other benefits.

What benefits does career allowance effect, including working tax credits, and I've also read that I may not be able to apply as I have to apply for careers allowance within receiving DLA for DS.

What could I do?

It can affect your tax credits as it counts as income, and things like housing benefits too, but you can also get extra premiums for being a carer, like you do for the dla being in payment. There's no time limit with it, but there are some conditions when you won't qualify. Have a look at the gov.uk website as its all on there. It all depends on your exact circumstances as to what effect it might have.

I work in a benefits field and in my experience, it's worth having as it doesn't knock out other benefits for the same amount as you receive, so you end up better off.

I keep on thinking of applying. I'm on a career break but tax credits are never very helpful. I was told my tax credits would come down by the same amount. Wish there was a way to get a straight answer

It's worth having it because it counts towards NI contributions or something along those lines. It's counted as income for tax credits purposes so have to declare it to them. I don't think it made a difference to my tax credits when I claimed it because it was only £40 a week or there abouts.

Easiest way is to do an online calculator with carers allowance included and it not. It's £60+ per week, it shouldn't make a huge difference. But it can increase things like housing benefit or knock you into entitlement. Do online calcs on entitled to website and you'll see what effect it has on your own circs.

I claim carers allowance it has entitled me to around 10 a week housing benefit.... Which now means the council run summer schemes are half price and therefore now affordable . so it was worth claiming for us.

I get carers allowance and it allows me to claim income support, which means I get max CTC/HB. The amount of CA is removed from my income support but a carer premium gets added so I'm better off overall. It has only affected my benefits in a positive way due to the additional premium. CA hasn't increased/decreased my tax credits but getting DLA for DS boosted CTC significantly (more than doubled).

Carers allowance counts as income however I did not notice any difference at all to my tax credit award. However we only receive ctc not WTC as dh income is too high for WTC.