Carers Allowance Misinformation ?

WelshBlue

Hi all, I'm just looking for information on Carers Allowance.

I was told a couple of years ago that there was no point claiming it as it would come off my other benefits ... fast forward to reading lots of posts here and I'm not so sure .

My IB ESA is broken down like this:

Living expenses me and partner £121.05
Disability Income Guarantee       £  25.35
Support Group                            £  40.00

                                                  £186.40

I also get Enhanced Daily Living and Standard Mobility PIP

If my wife were to claim, how much of the CA would be taken off the other money paid ?   Would this force a Universal Credit claim instead of ESA ?

A minefield I've always buried my head from, but if there's a small something I'm also entitled to ... well this day and age ... 

Thanks

calcotti

If she claims CA she gets CA and gets Class 1 NI credits which count towards her future State Pension. (She doesn’t get any NI credits from your ESA claim.)

Your ESA has a Carer Premium added to your ESA but the CA is deducted from your ESA. The result is that your ESA will go down but your joint income will increase by £38.85/week.

It doesn’t make you claim for UC (and based on your current award you would actually get more money under UC).

Your wife cannot claim CA if she works and earns more than £132/week but I infer that she does not work. She is not getting any NI towards her future State Pension. 

Does your wife claim any benefits herself?
Which of you is older?
When the older one of you reach pension age?

It would be sensible for you both to get a State Pension Forecast which will also tell you how many more years of NI credits are needed to get a full State Pension.

poppy123456

Yes carers allowance will be deducted in full from your ESA (£69.70/week), they will then add a carers premium of £38.85/week. Carers allowance will then pay your partner either weekly or 4 weekly, which ever they choose when the apply. Therefore you will be £38.85/week better off.

Your ESA would be £155.55/week and then the carers allowance separately £69.70/week or £278.80/4 weekly.

No, it would not prompt a move to UC. Also one other thing to point out, if you're the main claimant of your ESA then your partner will not be receiving any NI credits towards their state pension because only the main claimant receives this. If they claim carers allowance they would receive class 1 NI credits.

WelshBlue

Thank you Poppy' and Calcotti very informative and insightful. 

My wife was claiming DLA for kidney disease but when transitioning to PIP, as expected didn't receive an award a couple of years ago,  I', 56 she's 50 and we've sort of stumbled into her being my carer after life threw a few curve balls

Having never considered the NI credits again very informative.

Would my ESA reduce once the first payment of CA is received or in the waiting period when applying ?
So many questions ... sorry

poppy123456

WelshBlue said:

Would my ESA reduce once the first payment of CA is received or in the waiting period when applying ?
So many questions ... sorry

No, they will only be reduced once there's an award in place.

WelshBlue

Sorry ... if claiming the 3 month backdate .. would I be correct in saying this would be a date in December or November.  Thanks again

calcotti

WelshBlue said:

Sorry ... if claiming the 3 month backdate .. would I be correct in saying this would be a date in December or November.  Thanks again

If you claim today 19th February 3 months would backdate to 19th November.
It’s very easy to claim online. Note however that there have been long delays processing CA claims.

WelshBlue

Thank you again Poppy' & Calcotti ... your help is very much appreciated. (As it's been across the whole board I've read)  It's fantastic that people such as yourselves give your help so freely to others

I was estimating about a 12 week turnaround ... I guess it is what it is 

Thank you, form completed 

WB

WelshBlue

Funny how random thoughts can pop into your head ...

... suddenly thought about the 3 months backdating the Carers Allowance ... how does this impact the ESA I will have received in those 3 months ... will it be a deducted lump sum from the ESA due when the Carers Allowance is active or theoretically no back payment would be due ?

Apologies if it's a silly question, but some things I struggle to get my head around ... or to paraphrase my wife, "For an intelligent man, you really are as thick as the proverbial sometimes "

calcotti

If the CA is backdated three months your ESA has to be recalculated for those three months too. Your maximum ESA will increase due to the addition of the carer premium. The CA will then be deducted. The ESA is therefore less than before. The overpayment of ESA will be deducted from the CA arrears.

The arrears payable will be the difference. This will be due three months of £38.85/week.

WelshBlue

Thanks @calcotti ... easy when it's in front of you.  One of those when I was doubting my thinking.  

Or over thinking it

WelshBlue

Well I must admit to be shocked and impressed.

Applied 7 days ago ... £69.70 CA just gone into my bank along with £10 which I assume is the Christmas bonus ?  Also assuming the 3 months backdate will take time to calculate.

Is 7 days a record ?

Thanks again @calcotti and @poppy123456

poppy123456

That's extremely quick! It may take a few weeks to calculate what is owed.

WelshBlue

It's almost ridiculously quick ... had to giggle at the £10 christmas bonus.  Shows the DWP play fair 

WelshBlue

Me again .. received the confirmation letter today.  Slightly confused RE: backpayment.  Does the backpayment (arrears) due come from the added Carer Premium ... therefore any money due will come from ESA in the future not the Care Allowance unit ?  Sorry to keep asking things 

poppy123456

Money owed will be the carers premium of £38.85/week from 21/11/22. You will need to wait for ESA to pay you those arrears which hopefully won't be too long.

WelshBlue

Thanks Poppy' ... that's what I deduced in the end.  For some reason I assumed it would be from Care Allowance.  Hindsight says that doesn't make sense. Thanks for your time and expertise, really is appreciated for you and Calcotti

People I've spoken to don't believe it only took a week 

poppy123456

No problem. Yes, it was extremely quick.

WelshBlue

Me again ...

I've just noticed that despite having had 2 weeks carers allowance ... my ESA payment today was in full.
No deduction of CA and no Carers Premium.

Is this likely to be an overpayment because of non updated their end or is it the 2 weeks arrears that the ESA is paid ?

Should I ring up to inform them if it's an overpayment ?

Thanks

calcotti

WelshBlue said:

I've just noticed that despite having had 2 weeks carers allowance ... my ESA payment today was in full.
No deduction of CA and no Carers Premium.

Is this likely to be an overpayment because of non updated their end or is it the 2 weeks arrears that the ESA is paid ?

Should I ring up to inform them if it's an overpayment ?

I would ring them to review the ESA award.

WelshBlue

calcotti said:

I would ring them to review the ESA award.

Thanks.  I did.  90 minutes on hold to talk for 15 

Carers Allowance hadn't notified ESA of the award.   Everything has been sent urgently to the right department be sorted out.

She seemed adamant that there would be no back payment of any kind, so we'll see what they say when I get the new award letter.

Had to laugh when she asked ... are you sure that you've received 2 payments of CA since applying, that seems too quick.  I think I may have broken the DWP computer systems 

Thanks again