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Need advice on various benefits

seashell60

Hi, I currently receive ESA Support group since having b/c treatment d having to take ill health retirement (I'm now 57). I recently was awarded PIP standard day living component but not mobility(was only awarded 4points). Was then advised that as my 17 yr old son has left college and is struggling to find work, he should apply for Carers Allowance which was successful. Then he was told to apply for Income Support with a Carers Premium top up, but we are now a Universal Credit live area, so we went to the meeting in our Job Centre to apply, and as my son is under 18, he had to be approved under special circumstances which came through on Dec 18. His first payment was Dec 30 and checking his UC online we are so confused as to the amount the UC people have worked out (the UC plus the Carers Premium top up were added together, but then the UC took away more than a months worth of his normal Carers Allowance leaving him with a third of his original monthly award. We are thinking what was the whole point of going through the process to lose two thirds. After consulting with another benefits forum they're confused and also think it all sounds wrong. Is there a different way in which my son can apply for the Carers Premium with no penalties? Thank you, seashell 60

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Comments

Topkitten

If you are basing this on only one payment is it possible that another benefit was paid in advance and therefore the new figure had to be reduced for just the first payment?

TK

seashell60

I did manage to speak to an advisor at UC who seemed to think that it was right but several people I have spoken to seem to think it's not. We refused any advance on payments so that didn't apply. I'm thinking of contacting the general benefit number for advice. Why apply for something, be told you qualify for a certain level, then have 2/3 of it taken back?

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi @seashell60

Apologies for the delay in getting back to you.

It's really difficult for me to say if what the DWP have done is incorrect without looking at all the papers, but from what you describe (UC deducting more than a month's worth of Carer's Allowance) it may indeed be an error.

A confusing point in your son's claim is that due to his age, the monthly 'standard amount' of UC would be less than a month's worth of Carer's, but that is the only thing that I can imagine may confuse the DWP.

Simplest way forward is to ask for a Mandatory Reconsideration of the decision to calculate the monthly payment in this way, and someone will then write back to you with a more detailed explanation of their position (or possibly recalculate the claim if they can see it's wrong). If you still disagree then you can appeal.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/on-universal-credit/challenging-a-universal-credit-decision-mandatory-consideration/

As regards whether there are alternative benefits he can claim, if you're in a live service area for UC then I'm afraid you've no choice but to claim it.

Let us know how you get on!

Kind regards,

Mary

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