Carers element universal credit

pixelpoobear

Hi all 👋🏽

My child recently had their DLA application accepted mid rate with a low mobility element. I work part time, and managed to update the carer element, meaning I received the carer element in time for this month. Will the carer element automatically get backdated? I updated ‘caring for someone’ though in messages I was told to go into ‘changes and other people that live with you’ and state my child now receives DLA. I tried this but I kept cancelling as it reads as though it is changes in people living with you as in address and people in your home. Do I need to do anything additional to adding in caring for my child? I also haven’t applied for Carers allowance as I’m working PT, I’m not so sure what difference it might make considering i have a minimum income floor, and it would likely be deducted as income/with the PT hours I work too. 

I find UC very confusing and generally confusing. Any advice would be appreciated. 

Thanks all. 

poppy123456

There’s no financial gain to claiming carers allowance at the same time as UC because it’s just deducted in full from any UC entitlement. It’s not treated as earnings, it’s treated as other income. You don’t need to claim carers allowance to be entitled to carers element. 

Do be aware of the maximum earnings limit when claiming carers allowance, which is no more than £151/week. 

As you are now a carer the MIF will not apply to you because you will have no work commitments.

For the carers element you will need to wait for a decision maker to make the decision to award it from an earlier time. Money owed will be paid separately to your usual monthly payment.

If awarded carers allowance if you’ve asked for it to be backdated please also be aware that you will then have an overpayment for UC because it’s deducted in full. 

Jimm_Scope

Hi @pixelpoobear, welcome to the scope community I agree that UC can be incredibly confusing. I have no idea how a system that was meant to 'simplify' the benefits system just made everything far more confusing.

I don't think I can answer your question better than Poppy already has, but do let us know if you have any other questions I'll move this to our Universal Credit section incase you do!