Carers Allowance advice

FloridaDino

Hi all, just looking for some advice.
my wife recently applied for carers allowance for myself (I have mobility and tremor issues) which was awarded. They wouldn’t award back pay as far as we wanted but granted it for September, so paid us that and then the first weekly payment, we had requested to be paid weekly. So far, so good.
We then contacted Carers to appeal the decision to not pay us for August, enclosing my wife’s payslip which showed she had earned £370 for the entire month and therefore well under the allowed limit. We have still heard nothing back, not even an acknowledgement of our letter.
Also, after one weekly payment, we received no more. My wife rang them up to find out what was going on, and she was told her carers claim was ‘with the back office’. The lady on the phone didn’t seem to even know we had received any money at all!
Next to useless really. 

So, as things stand, we were awarded carers, but are currently not being paid it. Have received no letters or phone calls ourselves by way of explanation, though we have written 2 letters (both unacknowledged) and made a phone call (no help at all).

Anyone else had to deal with similar? Should we try and be patient, or ring again? Should we have received at least an acknowledgement of our letters?

very, very frustrated.

poppy123456

The only way forward is likely to get her to contact your local MP. She needs to give her name and address and tell them what’s happened. They will then hopefully contact carers allowance in her behalf. https://www.parliament.uk/about/contacting/mp/

Are you or her  claiming any other benefits apart from PIP? If so which ones exactly?

FloridaDino

poppy123456 said:

The only way forward is likely to get her to contact your local MP. She needs to give her name and address and tell them what’s happened. They will then hopefully contact carers allowance in her behalf. https://www.parliament.uk/about/contacting/mp/

Are you or her  claiming any other benefits apart from PIP? If so which ones exactly?

No other benefits except for some working tax credits/ child tax credits

poppy123456

Thanks. Do be aware that carers allowance is also taxable income for your wife. 

I’m sure you’re also aware that you’ll soon be invited to apply for Universal Credit as part of managed migration. I put a guide together here about that, you may want to have a read https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/110560/uc-managed-migration-guide#latest