work commitment on UC while caring for someone over 35hrs a week

Guinness
Guinness Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
in Universal Credit (UC)
HI All,
I've been caring for my mum since 2017 I was on UC.  I was told by UC to go on carers allowance. I did this. Then UC told me I couldn't claim this because my mum gets a certain benefit so I was put on Carers element I was on this for aprox five months and now have been told I can't claim it because my mum gets the severe disability payment on Pension credits which I believe she was always on. So now I have been told I need to look for work by UC. I have had to have a workcoach at the job centre who says I have to look for work? I have explained I look after mum for over 35 hours a week, however because I don't get the carers Element they say in their eyes I know longer care for my mum and need to look for work . I have just had to accept a wok commitment from my work coach she has dropped the commitment to look to just 5hours a week however...  Can anyone help with this please.
Ps I also suffer from PTSD and have knee issues with knees swelling up and discomfort .. Thank you... 

Comments

  • Hannah_Alumni
    Hannah_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,866 Championing
    Hello @Guinness

    I am so sorry you've been pulled from pillar to post. Citizen's Advice has a page on carers allowance which says: 
    If you're not eligible for Carer's Allowance
    If you care for a person or people for at least 20 hours a week, you might be able to get Carer's Credits. These are credits that fill in gaps in your National Insurance record - this decides whether you can get: 
    • State Pension
    • contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
    • contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
    Find out more about Carer's Credits on GOV.UK.
    If that helps at all? I would encourage you to speak to Citizen's Advice for more clarity about what you could claim. 
  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,928 Championing
    Nonsense, if your mum claims the qualifying benefits to have a carer (PIP, DLA, AA) then you can claim Carer’s Element as part of your UC. Your mum will loose SDP if you do this, £76.40 a week from her Pension Credit.

    If your mum doesn’t receive a disability benefit/doesn’t want to loose SDP from her Pension Credit then unfortunately it’s correct you will be classed as a Job Seeker.

    Around your own health, would you say this affects your ability to work?
  • Jimm_Alumni
    Jimm_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,713 Championing
    As @bg844 mentions, it is a matter that either she no longer gets SDP and you are her carer, or she keeps SDP but you have to work. It sounds like this is a discussion you will have to have with you mum about this?

    I think perhaps it would be best if you explained your situation with a benefits adviser at your local Citizen's Advice. They should be able to help you with applying for any benefits, or if you're missing anything else you might be entitled to.

    Keep us up to date, the benefits system is so needlessly complex and bureaucratic. It's common we see situations like the one you are in where you are pushed from one place to another, through no fault of your own as nobody has informed you properly.

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