Now I've stopped claiming Carers Allowance, will I get the £291 back from UC each month?

Paulyd

Hi guys, 
I'm new here so hopefully iv posted in the right place, I'm wondering if anyone can help me, I'm claiming universal credit and I was claiming carers allowence too, iv recently had to stop caring as my own health has deteriorated, universal credit were deducing me £291 per month as I was getting carers and I'm wondering now as iv stopped claiming carers will I get that £291 back from universal credit each month, thank you in advance

Paul 

woodbine

@Paulyd hi and welcome to scope hope you are ok today? just to clarify was it £291 or £191 ?

Paulyd

Hi woodbine, thank you ?, sorry it was £291 per month. 

janer1967

Hi and welcome you need to put a change of circumstances on your journal to notify UC you are no longer claiming the carers element 

May also be worth giving them a call 

Paulyd

Hi janer1967, iv put the note into my journey to say I'm not claiming carers anymore, they replied to say it's been received but I think that's been automated 

janer1967

Ok as advised may be worth giving them a call just to be on safe side to make sure your payments are correct 

You can also check your statement online b4 your pay date to make sure it is correct 

Paulyd

I'm going to give them a call tomorrow, thank you for your help, I appreciate it 

davegregson40

It's always worth checking with both the UNiversal cRedit and maybe carers allowance advice line because it's not always easy how it's calculated. It may be an idea with regards to benefit entitlement to contact your local councils Welfare Rights adviser, I found them very helpful

Ross_Scope

Hello @Paulyd

Welcome to the community, thanks for joining us. 

I hope the above advice and information has been helpful for you.

Adrian_Scope

Hi @Paulyd. I just wanted to add to the advice above: It's worth getting in touch with Carer's Allowance to ensure they've closed your claim completely and not just suspended it. Often when they cancel a claim they suspend it, which doesn't show to UC meaning UC continue to take deductions. 

Once your claim for CA is closed you should stop receiving the deductions of £291 a month to your UC claim. 

Paulyd

Hi Adrian, I phoned carers allowence and they told me they have closed the claim, I put a note in my journal on uc to say this has stopped but there's been to reply to my journal entry, I imagine they are very busy with the current covid situation, I want to thank everyone for your help and information it's much appreciated ?

Adrian_Scope

Glad to hear they've closed it for you @Paulyd. Keep an eye on your next statement from UC, I imagine there may be some overlap so it could be a partial deduction this month.
Let us know how you get on.

calcotti

If you have stopped being a carer you lose the carer element in the UC claim. This reduces your maximum entitlement by £162.92/month. There will no longer be a deduction of £291.41 for the CA that you were receiving. The net affect, assuming everything else is unchanged, is an increase in UC of £128.49/month.

Paulyd

Thank you @calcotti, I'm a little unsure of what you mean tho, am I right in saying that the deduction of £291.41 from uc stops and I receive that with my allowance or do you mean I get £128.49 per month more, sorry if I'm wrong 

calcotti

Both. The deduction of £291.41 stops but the increase in the UC you receive is only £128.49 (because the maximum amount possible has reduced because the carer element has been removed).