Will UC take money off, if my carers allowance get back dated?

NJDM

So going off that info
I would get 
CA = 286 + 
UC = 123 
Total = 409
So not worse off ?

But ignore the caring added element as that would leave me with £280
In total with that.

409+162= 571
- 292
= 280 ?

Firefly123

It's rather complex isn't it and makes no sense if it would leave you worse off 

Adrian_Scope

Hello @NJDM. Your second calculation is correct, as the first is missing the carer element. 

Your statement you've shown is missing the carer element, and since they are deducting Carer's Allowance, this should be added on. You may want to get in touch with them to query it. 

Overall, claiming CA/CE should leave you around £162 a month better off. Carer's Allowance is deducted £ for £ as it is an overlapping benefit, but you then receive the carer premium through the carer element, which increases your overall income.

There are some advantages to claiming Carer's Allowance: 
It's paid more frequently which can be a benefit to some people when juggling budgets and it makes higher NI contributions for you. Claimants in Scotland also receive an additional premium twice a year.

NJDM

Adrian_Scope said:

Hello @NJDM. Your second calculation is correct, as the first is missing the carer element. 

Your statement you've shown is missing the carer element, and since they are deducting Carer's Allowance, this should be added on. You may want to get in touch with them to query it. 

Overall, claiming CA/CE should leave you around £162 a month better off. Carer's Allowance is deducted £ for £ as it is an overlapping benefit, but you then receive the carer premium through the carer element, which increases your overall income.

There are some advantages to claiming Carer's Allowance: 
It's paid more frequently which can be a benefit to some people when juggling budgets and it makes higher NI contributions for you. Claimants in Scotland also receive an additional premium twice a year.

Ello Adrian,

I do appreciate your response & info, but could you do me a favour from the info and figures I have given you, could break it down and show me how I would be better off as I only see I will be same or worse off ??

Many thanks

Adrian_Scope

Hi @NJDM. 

I'm going to use the new figures so that it reflects what you should see next month (but it means they're a few pound different to what you've got currently).

If you didn't claim carer's allowance or carer element, your Universal Credit should be:

Standard allowance: £409.89
Total monthly income: £409.89

If you claimed Universal Credit and just the carer element of Universal Credit, you should receive:
Standard allowance: £409.89
Carer element: £162.92
Total monthly income: £572.81

If you claimed Universal Credit and Carer's Allowance you should receive:
Standard allowance: £409.89
Carer element: £162.92
Deduction from Universal Credit for overlapping benefit: -£291.42
Total income from Universal Credit: £281.39
PLUS:
Carer's Allowance: £67.25 per week (or £291.42 a month)
Total monthly income: £572.81

So by claiming as a carer, you should receive £572.81 a month, but if you didn't claim as a carer, you would receive £409.89.

I hope that helps, but if I've not been clear, let me know.

NJDM

Adrian_Scope said:

Hi @NJDM. 

I'm going to use the new figures so that it reflects what you should see next month (but it means they're a few pound different to what you've got currently).

If you didn't claim carer's allowance or carer element, your Universal Credit should be:

Standard allowance: £409.89
Total monthly income: £409.89

If you claimed Universal Credit and just the carer element of Universal Credit, you should receive:
Standard allowance: £409.89
Carer element: £162.92
Total monthly income: £572.81

If you claimed Universal Credit and Carer's Allowance you should receive:
Standard allowance: £409.89
Carer element: £162.92
Deduction from Universal Credit for overlapping benefit: -£291.42
Total income from Universal Credit: £281.39
PLUS:
Carer's Allowance: £67.25 per week (or £291.42 a month)
Total monthly income: £572.81

So by claiming as a carer, you should receive £572.81 a month, but if you didn't claim as a carer, you would receive £409.89.

I hope that helps, but if I've not been clear, let me know.

Hi Adrian,

That has helped a lot and I think I get it now.

So the important thing for me is I will not be worse off.

The question is will this be sorted by UC automatically or do I have to enquire and tell them ?

Basically by what you are saying they should owe me the carer element from this month gone (April) ?

Also going back to the backdated Carer allowance I received which did overlap with UC from Dec-March, will that be counted as an overpayment and I will have to pay that back ? Thinking on, would the carer element would of been included in that backdated payment ? I would like to know and be prepared in advance what I have to pay back so I dont get caught out and end up with next to nothing....Would you be able to help with this ?

Many thanks

NJDM.

NJDM

NJDM said:

Adrian_Scope said:

Hi @NJDM. 

I'm going to use the new figures so that it reflects what you should see next month (but it means they're a few pound different to what you've got currently).

If you didn't claim carer's allowance or carer element, your Universal Credit should be:

Standard allowance: £409.89
Total monthly income: £409.89

If you claimed Universal Credit and just the carer element of Universal Credit, you should receive:
Standard allowance: £409.89
Carer element: £162.92
Total monthly income: £572.81

If you claimed Universal Credit and Carer's Allowance you should receive:
Standard allowance: £409.89
Carer element: £162.92
Deduction from Universal Credit for overlapping benefit: -£291.42
Total income from Universal Credit: £281.39
PLUS:
Carer's Allowance: £67.25 per week (or £291.42 a month)
Total monthly income: £572.81

So by claiming as a carer, you should receive £572.81 a month, but if you didn't claim as a carer, you would receive £409.89.

I hope that helps, but if I've not been clear, let me know.

Hi Adrian,

That has helped a lot and I think I get it now.

So the important thing for me is I will not be worse off.

The question is will this be sorted by UC automatically or do I have to enquire and tell them ?

Basically by what you are saying they should owe me the carer element from this month gone (April) ?

Also going back to the backdated Carer allowance I received which did overlap with UC from Dec-March, will that be counted as an overpayment and I will have to pay that back ? Thinking on, would the carer element would of been included in that backdated payment ? I would like to know and be prepared in advance what I have to pay back so I dont get caught out and end up with next to nothing....Would you be able to help with this ?

Many thanks

NJDM.

Adrian_Scope - Bump ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Look up ty

Adrian_Scope

Sorry I didn't spot this @NJDM.
Yes, the backdated Carer's Allowance will be considered an overpayment from UC and will be deducted as a debt out of future UC payments. How much they deduct each month will depend on what else you are currently paying back from UC (advances, other overpayments etc) as this amount is capped.

You'll also have the deduction for on-going Carer's Allowance as we've discussed above. 

But they should then add on the carer element. If you've reported the change for this via your online account (via Homepage, report a change, caring for someone) then they should add the carer element on for you.

katie2020

Hey not sure if it makes a difference and I can’t answer your question. However I was looking myself yesterday to see if anything from UC will be backdated which is how I ended up here and there is a lot of misleading info on the internet. They will backdate your carer element to the date you claimed as I received notification of this myself this morning ? hope that helps a little bit 

NJDM

Adrian_Scope said:

Sorry I didn't spot this @NJDM.
Yes, the backdated Carer's Allowance will be considered an overpayment from UC and will be deducted as a debt out of future UC payments. How much they deduct each month will depend on what else you are currently paying back from UC (advances, other overpayments etc) as this amount is capped.

You'll also have the deduction for on-going Carer's Allowance as we've discussed above. 

But they should then add on the carer element. If you've reported the change for this via your online account (via Homepage, report a change, caring for someone) then they should add the carer element on for you.

Hi Adrian,

I have put the back payment to one side just in case this would happen So could I not just give it back ?

I have told UC that I am claiming CA and have made the change on my online account, so will see what happens on my statement from the 17th May, if they have made the changes as you said. Seems all bit of a mess to me the way its done

If I have any issues or enquiries, which I got the feeling there will be, ill post again lol.

Thanks

NJDM

katie2020 said:

Hey not sure if it makes a difference and I can’t answer your question. However I was looking myself yesterday to see if anything from UC will be backdated which is how I ended up here and there is a lot of misleading info on the internet. They will backdate your carer element to the date you claimed as I received notification of this myself this morning ? hope that helps a little bit 

Thanks Katie that is good to know. Did they do this automatically or did you have to prompt them ?

katie2020

They done it automatically I knew nothing about it until they said 

NJDM

katie2020 said:

They done it automatically I knew nothing about it until they said 

Ok cool lets see what happens with me

So if you don't mind me asking are you better off, the same or worse off with getting the combined ?

katie2020

I’m better off but that may be because I was affected by the benefit cap before 

NJDM

Looks like mine has been sorted and what Adrian said would happen
I am basically better off with the joint UC & CA.
Only thing now is wait for the contact to say they overpaid me on the backdated payment
How long do you have to wait ?

Adrian_Scope

I believe the majority of the debt management staff have been redeployed to help with new UC claims, so it may be some time before you're contacted. 
If they decide you've been overpaid (I've replied to your PM regarding this), they'll set up an arrangement to take the overpayment back in instalments from your future UC. There is a cap on how much they are allowed to deduct and the repayments are negotiable too.

Rhodie72

With CA and backdaterd payments they usually say how much you're going to be allowed in total then deduct what they actually calculate as an overpayment before stating what you will be paid as a settlement amount.

I was told I was entitled to £1187 but only received £542 with the difference being an overpayment due to ESA

 already received

NJDM

I had no sort of communication like that, just backdated payment during UC period. But I have put it to one side and would like to know how much of it is overpaid so I can just give straight back without the messing.....

markisjackaswell12

reading about uc ca/ce total is £572 uc payments I claim also £275 rent will this be added on and what will uc take off?

calcotti

markisjackaswell12 said:

reading about uc ca/ce total is £572 uc payments I claim also £275 rent will this be added on and what will uc take off?

See separate thread you have started here
https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/84649/hi-my-name-is-markisjackaswell12-im-trying-to-understand-my-benefits-more#latest