Carers Allowance and Working

DuffersMum

I started doing some work for my old boss, just casual and at home, I advised Carers Allowance and always made sure I was under the permitted amount to earn and did self assessment tax returns.

Fast forward to last year and I broke my left arm so could no longer type, I advised carers allowance and self assessment that I had ceased my casual working.

Later last year I started up again, once again I advised Carers dept and they rang me to ask some questions, I explained what I did and how much I earned approx each month (not much, way below what I could earn) she said that was fine but they’d need me to complete a form, no problem with that.

fast forward to this month and I received a letter telling me they’d made a decision that I was still entitled to receive this benefit. All good and meter filed away. I never received the form mentioned in earlier phone conversation.

Today a letter arrived with the form, dated the same day as the letter informing me I was still entitled to claim Carers Allowance.

I rang Carers dept and was told I had to complete the form despite what the other letter said.

I have completed the form, which needed to be returned by 20th January, despite it arriving on 22nd 🙄 and have sent it back to them with a copy of the first letter and a note explaining I only received said form today..the letter and form stated that my, carers allowance would be stopped from the beginning of January, thereby implying I’m not entitled to it even though they know how little I earn (as I told them in previous phone call),

Now I’m left short by £300+ a month despite not having done anything wrong and sticking to the rules.

Is this now standard procedure does anyone know? I understand they have to check but to stop payments like that is really poor. They advise it can take up to 6 weeks for them to make a decision.