Can I stop CA so my UC isn't reduced?

sarah3546

Hi all. I just need some advice. I care for my disabled child and claim carers allowance and carers element of uc. However the uc has started taking £350 off my claim due to CA and my question is, can i stop claiming CA but keep CE without a break in payments? Thank you in advance for your advice 

poppy123456

The amount deducted for carers allowance is £332.58/month, not £350. The reason they deduct this amount is because carers allowance is a weekly benefit and UC is monthly. To work out the monthly amount you times the £76.75 by 52 and then divide by 12. This is because there's more than 4 weeks in a month. Carers allowance then pay you separately. 

If you receive your carers allowance every 4 weeks then there will be 1 month in a year where you will receive 2 payments.

You can stop the carers allowance but it's highly likely that UC will continue to deduct it because i've heard this happen so many times. You will of course be owed the money for UC if carers allowance does stop but it will mess up your payments.

Either way, you are not financially worse of by claiming carers allowance, the same as you won't be financially worse of if it stops. Your overall benefit entitlement will remain the same.

Jimm_Alumni

Hi @sarah3546, welcome to our community I hope you're doing well!

As Poppy mentioned, the confusion may be because Carers Allowance is a weekly benefit while UC is a monthly one. The joys of benefits bureaucracy! You aren't financially worse off, so it's okay to keep receiving carer's allowance.

You could put your details into a benefits calculator to see if there is anything missing perhaps such as the one at Turn2us.

Ralph

I find getting carers allowance slightly advantageous. First you separate UC from carers so you are getting money weekly. Also if UC doesn’t pay for whatever reason you still have some money coming in until it’s sorted. I’ve also been asked when seeking help if claimed carers allowance, what difference this makes I don’t know.