I get NS ESA SG, and my wife used to care for me. Can my daughter claim CA now she's caring for me?

littleacorn

I receive contribution based ESA support group and my wife has been my carer although she works full time. She is now exhausted due to being a front line NHS worker and is finding it difficult to do both jobs. Can my daughter who is self employed but unable to do her job due to current restrictions claim carers allowance for caring for me instead of my wife.

littleacorn

Forgot to add I also get higher rate PIP for both componants

calcotti

Provided she is learning less than £128/week yes she can. I infer that your wife was not claiming CA as she would have been earning too much. She will need to provide evidence of her self employed earnings. Normally past earnings would be used to determine her weekly earnings. I don’t know how DWP will be assessing earnings at the moment. If she has had any SEISS payments these will count as earnings.

 Depending on her circumstances she may be able to claim UC instead. This would include a carer element. She can get this element in UC without applying for CA. As a carer she would have no UC work search requirements. She can use a benefit calculator to assess entitlement https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

if if she has a partner any UC claim would be as a couple. If she currently gets Tax Credits or other means tested benefits these will end if she applies for UC (even if there is no UC entitlement). She cannot claim UC if she has capital over £16,000.

Audinut70

Hi, my ex partners sister was claiming ca for my ex, just before corona, she waz working, but as long as she cared for 35 hours she was entitled to the ca. I know its means tested for benefits, but I'm pretty sure my ex sister in law claimed the full amount of ca. I think it was about £130 pw. This was before corona and my son now claims it for my ex,his mam. He claims pip for ptsd so it doesn't affect his benefit. Hope that helps. 

calcotti

Audinut70 said:

...she waz working, but as long as she cared for 35 hours she was entitled to the ca. I know its means tested for benefits, but I'm pretty sure my ex sister in law claimed the full amount of ca. I think it was about £130 pw. 

Someone who cares for 35 hours/week is not necessarily entitled. If they earn more than £128/week they are not entitled.
Other then this earnings limit CA is not means tested.
Carer’s Allowance is £67.25/week.

Audinut70

Sorry, i was wrong, thanks for correction Calcotti. Glad i didn't state it as fact. I'll be more careful in future. 

mikehughescq

Whilst CA isn’t theoretically means-tested it’s worth noting that you can offset some work-related expenses when calculated earnings and that some things which don’t look like earnings actually count as earnings.