How will being a carer affect UC?

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: LCWRA.

geeforce

I’ve been uc since being offf work sick I’m now fit but I have a joint claim with my wife she was put on lcwcr group unfortunately her health is deteriorating so I’m going to have to be her carer at the moment we receive £834 how will that change if I’m her carer 
kind regards 

poppy123456

geeforce said:

I’ve been uc since being offf work sick I’m now fit but I have a joint claim with my wife she was put on lcwcr group unfortunately her health is deteriorating so I’m going to have to be her carer at the moment we receive £834 how will that change if I’m her carer 
kind regards 

Does your wife claim a qualifying benefit such as DLA mid/high rate care or PIP daily living?

geeforce

Sorry poppy pip enhanced mobility 

david235

@geeforce - PIP Mobility (at either rate) is not a qualifying benefit for Carer's Allowance or the Carer Premium in UC. Your wife must have a Daily Living component in her PIP award for you to get Carer's Allowance and/or Carer Premium.

There are other qualifying benefits for Carer's Allowance / Carer Premium, but none can apply to someone who has a PIP award.

geeforce

Thanks David she gets pip standard care sorry I should of put that I’m not very educated on all this 
kind regards 

poppy123456

As she has a daily living award of PIP then you'll be able to claim for the carers element of UC, providing you don't receive the LCWRA element yourself.

geeforce

Thanks poppy for ur help 

poppy123456

You're welcome.

Adrian_Scope

Hi @geeforce, will you be applying for Carer's Allowance or just requesting the carer's element of Universal Credit?
Carer's Allowance has strict rules in terms of how much you can work and earn, whereas the carer's element allows you to earn any amount. 

Carer's element adds an additional £160.20 a month to your claim. Carer's Allowance is paid weekly or roughly £66 a week but it then deducted £ for £ from Universal Credit and the carer's element is added on (so both leave you with the same total income). The benefit of receiving Carer's Allowance is it can be paid weekly and contributes higher NI Credits for the claimant, but you don't need to claim CA to receive the carer's element. 

I hope that helps.

poppy123456

Thanks for that @Adrian_Scope, forgot to mention the carers allowance. Also if geeforce lives in Scotland then claiming carers allowance means he will receive a supplementary payment of £226 each year, paid in 2 payments. This payment is also taxable.

geeforce

Thanks Adrian so I’m right my payments will be 
£498 standard 
£336 lcwra premium
160 Carer’s premium
kind regards guys 

poppy123456

Yes, that's correct. If you don't already receive the carers element you will need to report those changes on your journal, otherwise it won't be added.

geeforce

Thanks a thanks again poppy your so helpful I was getting confused with the Carers allowance and the Premium on uc now I know you only get one 
kind regards 

geeforce

Hi there I care for my wife we get the following 

Standard rate 498
lcw for my wife 336
housing element 470
carers element 160
 I was signed off work 2018 but I work part time as a taxi driver as I’ve got better I’ve had a message on my journal today saying I have to fill in a questionnaire and may have to go for a work assessment will my benefits change as I’m confused 
Kind regards 

poppy123456

Even if you are placed into the LCWRA group your UC amount will remain the same because you can only receive 1 LCWRA element in a claim, even if both are in that group. Your UC amounts won't change.

geeforce

thanks a lot poppy I was confused Because my wife’s in the lcw and I’m in the other one so will I still have to go to work assessment or when I fill in the forms Will  they realise that I’m my wife’s carer and work part time 

poppy123456

In a comment above you said that your wife receives £336 extra, this means that your wife is in the LCWRA group and not LCW.

I'm assuming you've been sending in fit notes to start the LCW process off for yourself which is why you have to fill out the work capability assessment form. If you haven't sent fit notes in for yourself then the form will be for your wife and not for you.

geeforce

Ok thanks again poppy