Pip refused! Help with benefits please.

vixy7

Hello,
I need some much needed advice on benefits please. I found out today my husband was refused pip ? he's currently on DLA so as im aware he will get 4 more weeks of DLA from when pip decision was made which was on the 9/03/19. Im currently getting carer's allowance ( for being my husband carer), income support, Housing benefit, child tax credit, child benefit and my son receives middle rate DLA.
Now as these are all linked to my husband DLA which is ending all these will end and I will have to make a claim for universal credit. However is it possible to contact carer's allowance and say that I want to be come my son's carer from the date I stop being my husband carer? As if this is possible and there is no break me being a carer it will avoid being moved onto universal credit? So worried what to do and what the next steps to make with money soon stopping and hearing so many bad things about universal credit.
Thanks in advance

Sam_Alumni

Hi @vixy7
Im sorry to hear that you are having such a stressful situation. Have you thought about appealing your husband's PIP decision? You need to start with a Mandatory Reconsideration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9eTgNyPo9Q

Does your son get PIP or DLA? He would need to be claiming one of these for you to get Carers Allowance for him. I am not sure whether you can just transfer this over though, you can contact them to ask:

Get information on Carer’s Allowance and how to make a claim.

General enquiries 
Telephone: 0800 731 0297
Textphone: 0800 731 0317 
NGT text relay (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0297 
Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm 
Find out about call charges

vixy7

Hello Thank you for your reply. We will be making a MR. I'm first going to tackle my financial situation as everything will stop. My son receives middle rate DLA so when I get the date of the DLA ending. I was thinking of applying for carer's allowance and ask for it to start for my son the date my carer's end for my husband if that makes sense?

Sam_Alumni

Hi @vixy7
I have asked @BenefitsTrainingCo to take a look at your post.

BenefitsTrainingCo

Hi vixy7,

The good news is yes you can claim carer's allowance for your son if he is getting the middle rate of the care component of DLA. It will need to be a new claim though so contact the carers allowance unit on 0800 731 0297 and explain you want the claim to start from the date your husbands PIP ended.

You remain entitled to income support even if you are not getting carers allowance, as long as you are 'regularly and substantially' caring for someone getting DLA middle or higher care component.

There shouldn't be a need to claim Universal Credit here.

As someone else has pointed out though, its worth asking for a mandatory reconsideration of your husbands PIP - don't miss the one calendar month deadline from the date on the decision letter.

Michael