Please help me understand

Bink

I am classed as disabled and receive Esa (support group), daily living pip (standard), UC (that is reduced due to esa) and LCWRA. I live alone but my health issues are causing me to need care with movement and general things around the home. My question is, if I moved in a carer (who doesnt currently work), would it affect my benefits? Also, could the carer then claim carers allowance or other benefits and would that affect my benefits? Or do I add the person to my benefits? If so, do they have to be new claims for all my benefits or just updates/adjustments with carer added on to my benefits?

poppy123456

More information is needed to be able to advise.

1/ Is this person your partner or someone else?

2/ Do they work?

3/ Are they claiming any benefits theirself? if so which ones exaclty?

Bink

My partner but doesn't live with me.

No he isn't working

No he doesn't claim any benefits

Rachel_Scope

Hi @Bink and welcome to the community. Poppy will be able to help you with this as she's very knowledgeable 😊

poppy123456

As they are your partner, if they come to live with you then you'll need to report the changes for UC and you will be sent a linking code. Your partner will then need to start a claim for UC theirself and use the linking code to join both claims together.

As they are your partner, if you live together, which is what you were asking then you need to claim as a couple. You do not need to start a new claim because you're already claiming UC.

If your partner has capital/savings of more than £16,000 then you'll both be excluded from claiming UC.

Your New style ESA will not be affected because that's not means tested. Same applies for PIP.

If there's entitlement to UC as a couple then your partner can claim Carers element. They do not need to claim carers allowance do be entitled to carers element but if they claim it, it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.

If you're claiming council tax reduction and the single person discount, you will lose that if you live with your partner.

Bink

Is that a new thing with getting a code to linking code? And which is it - he starts UC for himself or we do it as a couple.

Bink

Also what is the difference between carers allowance and carers element?

Bink

And also, do I update esa and pip too? Does it increase the money i get now for it?

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/935107#Comment_935107

Both. You need to report a change of circumstances and tell them you're living with a partner. You will be sent a linking code which needs to be used when your partner starts a claim and both your claims will then be joined together as a couple.

Carers allowance is a separate benefit to UC. If they claim this it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. Therefore there's no financial gain to claiming it. There are some advantages such as class 1 NI credits but for UC it's class 3. Carers allowance can also be paid weekly but UC is monthly.

No, you do not need to report the changes for either PIP or ESA because they are not means tested and living with a partner will not affect them. Neither of those will increase.

Bink

How do you claim carers element?

poppy123456

https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/comment/935242#Comment_935242

It's part of UC so if you do live with your partner when he claims UC he will need to make sure he reports being your carer and then the carers element will be included with your claim.