Universal credit

gym

HI.I received carers allowance for the first time today. It was £327 for the month,but universal credit have taken £354 off me.is this correct. I am confused 😕. Thanks

poppy123456

Yes, it's correct because carers allowance is a weekly benefit but UC is monthly. To work out the monthly amount you times the weekly amount by 52 and then divide by 12. £81.90 x 52 divided by 12 = £354.90

There will be one month a year where you will receive 2 payments of carers allowance but there will only be the usual deduction in your UC.

Please make sure your UC also includes the carers element. Unless you're claiming the LCWRA element for yourself because the same person can't receive both elements at the same time.

gym

Thanks poppy.but why did I only receive £327.60 from carers allowance and universal credit take £354.that makes me worse off as I was receiving £724 a month from universal credit as a single person before my carers role.

poppy123456

Carers allowance is always deducted in full but you're not worse off because you receive carers allowance separately. There's no financial gain to claiming carers allowance at the same time as UC. Please see the calculation I did above for why they deduct £354/month.

Does your UC include the LCWRA element? (£419.16/month) If it doesn't then it should also include carers element. (£198.31/month)

If it includes the LCWRA element then you can't receive the carers element at the same time.

gym

I don't receive lcwra.and on my universal credit it says a have the carer element. I receive the standard allowance of £393 and housing costs of £330 .carers is £327 .then universal credit deducted £354

poppy123456

Thanks. Then with the carers allowance deduction your UC should be £566.86/month and then carers allowance as a separate payment.

Carers allowance is a weekly benefit, UC is monthly and there’s more than 4 weeks in a month. For this reason the deduction isn’t just £81.90 x 4. It’s as I calculated above. Don’t forget there’s 1 month a year where you will receive 2 carers allowance payments, instead of one.

Your overall benefits entitlement is £921.76/month. If you didn’t receive carers allowance it would still be the same amount.

gym

Thanks poppy much appreciated. I was paid £369 universal credit for the month in total.

poppy123456

You’re welcome. That amount doesn’t sound correct.

Is your rent paid directly to your landlord? Are there any other deductions for anything?

Please check your statement it should have the following included..

Standard allowance £393.45

Housing element £330

Carers element £198.31

Total amount before deductions = £921.76 - £354.90 (carers allowance)

Total amount UC payable = £566.86/month. Unless there’s any other deductions, or they pay your landlord directly.

gym

HI poppy. I don't have any deductions.and I pay the rent myself to the local council.

poppy123456

That amount of £369 suggests that the carers element isn’t included. When I asked you earlier in the thread you said it was included.

Please check your statement on your journal. If it’s not included and you haven’t reported the changes that you’re a carer then you need to do that by reporting a change of circumstances. Then look for caring for someone on the list and report it through there.

Carers element isn’t automatically included even if you claim carers allowance.