Parents esa + pip

tanya189

Ah ok thank you. Sorry if I asked a daft question. I'm trying to put their minds at ease but want to make sure I'm telling them the right things. 
Is there a reason they wouldn't be able to claim universal credit? 
I'm trying to get an appointment with citizens advice 

calcotti

tanya189 said:

Is there a reason they wouldn't be able to claim universal credit? 

They obviously don’t have savings that would exclude them, so no.

tanya189

You are amazing. Is it just me or are benefits really confusing ?

[Deleted User]

Yes, benefits are very confusing.

I would also look into Pension Credits for your Dad for when he starts to get State Pension. This is a separate payment to top up State Pension, and can also help towards Dental, NHS costs and HB and CTR. I don't know if I am allowed to put links on the forum, but you can find all the info on the gov.uk website

calcotti

Sammy6 said:

I would also look into Pension Credits for your Dad for when he starts to get State Pension. This is a separate payment to top up State Pension, and can also help towards Dental, NHS costs and HB and CTR. 

This advice is incorrect. Dad cannot claim Pension Credit because mum is below pension age which means that they are a ‘mixed age couple’ (MAC). Since May 2019 MACs are not permitted to claim Pension Credit but can claim UC as advised throughout this thread.

calcotti

Tanya, just want to remind you of a few points mentioned earlier for when your parents decide to claim UC

• your mum should get a Fit Note from her GP to support the claim
• when they claim she should declare her health condition and provide details of the Fit Note
• dad should declare that he looks after mum

Provided they claim before dad reaches pension age his ESA Support Group status will transfer across as UC LCWRA.

Initially the UC maximum amount will include the standard couple allowance, LCWRA element (for dad) and housing element.

If, after a Work Capability Assessment, mum is found to have LCWRA she can have the LCWRA element, in which case dad can no longer have it but can have the carer element instead.

Dad’s pensioner income will be deducted in full when calculating the amount of UC actually payable.

Because ESA and HB can run on for 2 weeks after a UC claim it makes sense to claim at least two weeks before dad reaches pension age to take advantage of effectively getting paid twice for the two week overlap.

calcotti

Is your dad expecting to receive any occupational or privately pensions? If he is these will also be take notice into account in full.

[Deleted User]

calcotti said:

Sammy6 said:

I would also look into Pension Credits for your Dad for when he starts to get State Pension. This is a separate payment to top up State Pension, and can also help towards Dental, NHS costs and HB and CTR. 

This advice is incorrect. Dad cannot claim Pension Credit because mum is below pension age which means that they are a ‘mixed age couple’ (MAC). Since May 2019 MACs are not permitted to claim Pension Credit but can claim UC as advised throughout this thread.

All I said was look into it.....
Excuse me for trying  
I'm out of here

chiarieds

Hi @Sammy6 - I believe you had the best of intentions, but, for the better good of our members, incorrect info is addressed. I have inadvertently given incorrect info, which calcotti has addreessed; I try & learn from this however. Don't take offence, where none was intended.

calcotti

Sammy6 said: Excuse me for trying  I'm out of here

As you said yourself, Benefits are confusing. There have also been a lot of changes in recent years. I have posted incorrect information myself which other sources have been able to correct. No offence is intended.

tanya189

So I’m about to apply for their UC now. My dad does care for my mum particularly as her condition has recently worsened and she is awaiting an X-ray and investigation. 

Will they think it weird that he gets esa for his health conditions but also cares for her? It is what happens but I’m worried they’ll think that’s not possible and he’ll get in trouble somehow.

also the Dr said they don’t give fit notes for people that aren’t working and she hadn’t worked for years and years. Does this sound odd?

tanya189

Also, does it matter whose name I apply in??

calcotti

tanya189 said:

Will they think it weird that he gets esa for his health conditions but also cares for her? 

People can have difficulties themselves but still care for others. Obviously if he has a bad back it is not consistent to say he lifts her in and out of the bath but if he can’t bend to tie his own shoe laces it wouldn’t be perfectly possible for him to tie hers if she sits part way up the stairs while he stays at the bottom.

Caring can be just keeping an eye on to make sure somebody is safe.

calcotti

tanya189 said:

Also, does it matter whose name I apply in??

No. You will have to make two claims. One will be the lead claimant and when they say they have a partner they will be issued with a linking code. When the second claimant says they have a partner they will be asked if they have a linking code. They enter the code and this joins the second claim to the first one. The second claimant will then have fewer questions to answer because they first claimant will already have provided the information.

tanya189

So I’ve done the application and need to add the fit note. Having finally gotten through to my parents surgery, from being number 42 in the queue, they are saying because my mum hasn’t worked for 30+ years and her conditions or inability to work have no end date (it’ll actually get worse) they can’t provide a note! Is this correct?

tanya189

Guys, I’m struggling to get an answer elsewhere. Will my parents still have to pay ‘bedroom tax’ once my dad reaches pension age?

Tori_Scope

Hi @tanya189 According to Disability Rights UK:

The bedroom tax applies if you are of working age and renting from a local authority, a registered housing association or other registered social landlord.

Working age means anyone between the age of 16 and pension age. You may be affected by the bedroom tax if you are a member of a couple and just one of you has reached pension age; you are not affected if you have both reached pension age. 

Sorry that your other question was missed- have you managed to sort this now?

calcotti

tanya189 said:

So I’ve done the application and need to add the fit note. Having finally gotten through to my parents surgery, from being number 42 in the queue, they are saying because my mum hasn’t worked for 30+ years and her conditions or inability to work have no end date (it’ll actually get worse) they can’t provide a note! Is this correct?

No, they should  provide a Fit Note - unless they think she is Fit for Work. Explain to them why it is needed. You need to be able to report the Fit Note details to UC within 7 days of making the claim.

tanya189

Hi! Thank you for checking in! 

So my mums health has deteriorated. She started to get pain in her hip, then couldn't move, then eventually found out she has no hip joint at all. She's awaiting a hip replacement. 

It took weeks and weeks and weeks for them to confirm any form of universal credit. Eventually they told her what she was getting so it just covers their rent with a tiny bit left over. Dad gets his pension which is taken off their universal credit. 

Everyone keeps saying there's extra things she should be getting etc but I don't know if that's true. When I write on the journal no one replies! 

And help would be so appreciated!

poppy123456

tanya189 said:

Hi! Thank you for checking in! 

So my mums health has deteriorated. She started to get pain in her hip, then couldn't move, then eventually found out she has no hip joint at all. She's awaiting a hip replacement. 

It took weeks and weeks and weeks for them to confirm any form of universal credit. Eventually they told her what she was getting so it just covers their rent with a tiny bit left over. Dad gets his pension which is taken off their universal credit. 

Everyone keeps saying there's extra things she should be getting etc but I don't know if that's true. When I write on the journal no one replies! 

And help would be so appreciated!

Reading back through the thread, did your mum report a health condition and send in fit notes as advised? If she hasn't then she needs to do that. She will then be referred for a work capability assessment. If she's found to have LCWRA then she will receive an extra £343 per month from the 4th month of her claim.

UC has replaced all the old benefits and because they are a mixed aged couple there are no other benefits possible to claim other than council tax reduction.

Your dads State Pension being deducted in full from any UC entitlement is correct.

Also make sure that the carers element is included in with their maximum entitlement. For this check their statements on their journal.