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Question about Carers Allowance and UC

safilou

Hi all, my partner is our sons carer and started claiming Carers Allowance around Sept/Oct time last year. We also migrated from Tax Credits to UC in the middle of April this year. Also, back at the end of Jan my partner started a part time job to fit in with my hours and his caring of our son. We informed CA and they have him down as an irregular earner, due to his pay fluctuating, but also he gets paid on different dates every month! Sometimes we can go 4 weeks, sometimes 5. We informed UC and we get the carers element and the equivalent reduction from our payments for claiming the CA. He hasn't had any carers payments though since approx 28th March. We were sent a form and they wanted to know what his wages have been. Which we have sent off payslips for the last 2 months. Does anyone know how they work it out? Is his pay averaged over so many months/weeks? Also, is it correct that UC still take off the Carers Allowance money even if he was over the threshold for the Carers Allowance payments and so therefore isn't entitled to it for those months? Thanks

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Comments

poppy123456

Carers allowance has a maximum weekly earnings limit and if you exceed that then there's no entitlement to carers allowance.

As you're claiming UC as well, there's no need to claim carers allowance now because the CA is just deducted in full from from any UC entitlement so there's no financial gain to claiming it. Also, as you're already found out, CA do not communicate with UC so if CA stops the deduction is still made from UC. For this reason and the irregular earnings it would probably be better to cancel carers allowance completely.

safilou

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/868791#Comment_868791

Hi, thanks for your reply. Yes, i came to the same conclusion with there being no point in continuing with CA, so i sent a message on Sunday, as a change of circumstances, to cancel our claim. I am also currently on the phone to them(listening to some horrible music!), so i can make sure they got the message! Thanks for the advice 😊

Albus_Alumni

Heya @safilou and welcome to the community.

I can see Poppy has already helped you out here, but I just wanted to pop in and say a quick hi. I'm sorry to hear you've had to listen to that horrible hold music for so long. 😅

safilou

@Albus_Scope Hi, thank you very much!

Fortunately it wasn't too long before i spoke to someone, and they put a request in to stop our claim. Hopefully after i have added a note in our journals to UC, it will all be sorted🤞

Thanku☺️

AndrewHall

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/868791#Comment_868791

I do NOT agree that claiming carer allowance is totally pointless. Yes, if the carer is on UC, it would be deducted. But there is a class 1 NI contribution towards your state pension.

JonnycJonny

I would echo this - though claiming CA will not add anything financially as it is deducted from UC it will provide Class 1 NI contributions that are a gateway to other welfare benefits such as the Bereavement Support Payment if a partner dies. UC only pays Class 3 NI contributions that go towards your state pension.

Best wishes

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/869103#Comment_869103

Umm I did NOT imply that it was "totally" pointless. Yes, you receive class 1 NI credits and for UC you only receive class 3 BUT in this case when the person is working, is it worth all the extra effort that goes into claiming it. Especially when they've had to send payslips and then the CA is suspended and the deduction is still being made from their UC, which means they are £327.60 short every month because that's what the deduction is for UC with CA.

Also if they are earning more than £123/week they are treated as having paid NI contributions anyway (class 1) so the class 1 credits would be irrelevant.

I wouldn't want to lose £327/month, would you??

JonnycJonny

Agreed in this instance the cons greatly out weigh the pros. BUT for others reading these comments who cannot work due to their full time caring responsibility it is worth pointing out the NI situation.

Additionally if the savings / capital limit for UC is temporarily breached - such as through a gift or inheritance - then CA would remain in payment

Best wishes

AndrewHall

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/869141#Comment_869141

Again, you have got your figure wrong. The earning threshold is now £151 a week, not £123. I would advise you to be objective and factual of all the pros/cons so that the Claimants can make a fully informed decision.

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/869170#Comment_869170

Nope, I've not got my earnings figures wrong because my comment had nothing to do with the maximum earnings amount for CA.

What you've done here is completely misunderstood what I advised. The £123/week I advised has nothing to do with carers allowance. It's the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL), which means if someone earns at least that much per week they will be treated as if they have paid NI contributions. Which gives the same entitlement to contributions based benefits as class 1 does. See link. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-and-allowances-national-insurance-contributions/rates-and-allowances-national-insurance-contributions

I very rarely miss out on information. If you knew exactly how difficult it is to advise people then maybe you wouldn't be so judgemental. I'm not an expert, neither have I ever claimed to be and I do my best with every single person I advise here.

You implied I told them it was POINTLESS but I didn't say that.

Better explained here. https://www.litrg.org.uk/working/employment/nic-employees

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/869148#Comment_869148

Agreed and the majority of time I do include that information but this time I was only thinking of the member with their earnings problems. I wasn't thinking of the bigger picture for other members. I'm only human, the same as everyone else and we all make mistakes.

JonnycJonny

Your contribution was concise and factually correct - as ever. No mistakes. I was simply looking at the bigger picture for those unable to hold down a paid job as well as care for a family member or a someone else. Keep up your much valued input.

Best wishes during what I know is a trying time for you

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/869204#Comment_869204

Thank you. I appreciate that.

AndrewHall

Well done Poppy, you are doing a great job. I know how difficult it is to sometimes look at the bigger picture and to consider those those carers that couldn't hold work too.