My wife is going to give up work to look after me

happyfella

My wife has been off work for a couple of work for a few months so we have been getting UC and the carers element of UC. I receive full PIP and do not work. My wife is due to go back to work in a couple of weeks but my doctor feels that i should not be left alone due to my health getting worse. So, my wife is thinking about giving up her job to look after me.

We have a mortgage but we do not want any help towards that and we do not want any help towards council tax benefit. but, i am wondering what we would be entitled to.

I am trying to find out if my wife would receive carers allowance to look after me. She retires in three years. I also want to know if we would still get Universal credit and would we still get the carers element.

Sorry, i know nothing about the benefit system and how it works.

calcotti

Your maximum UC entitlement will be unchanged. If your UC is currently being reduced by your wife’s earnings this will no longer apply when she stops work so your UC payment will increase.

Your wife could claim Carer’s Allowance but it will be deducted in full from your UC so there will be no financial gain.

Are you are getting the LCWRA element in your UC?

happyfella

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calcotti said:

Your maximum UC entitlement will be unchanged. If your UC is currently being reduced by your wife’s earnings this will no longer apply when she stops work so your UC payment will increase.

Your wife could claim Carer’s Allowance but it will be deducted in full from your UC so there will be no financial gain.

Are you are getting the LCWRA element in your UC?

Thank you. What she is concerned about is, if they will be forcing her to look for work when she is giving up work to look after me. If they are going to force her to look for work then she may as well stay where she is, and i will have to manage, scary though that is.

calcotti

happyfella said:..What she is concerned about is, if they will be forcing her to look for work when she is giving up work to look after me. ..

Because she is a carer receiving the carer element there are no work related requirements for her.

janer1967

Hi there 

You can claim carers allowance but if you get carers element it will be deducted from your uc 

You will get uc still 

Have you reported your health condition to uc as there could be an additional payment if you get awarded lcwra 

I suggest you do a benefits calculator to check all your circumstances 

happyfella

calcotti said:

happyfella said:..What she is concerned about is, if they will be forcing her to look for work when she is giving up work to look after me. ..

Because she is a carer receiving the carer element there are no work related requirements for her.

thank you

happyfella

janer1967 said:

Hi there 

You can claim carers allowance but if you get carers element it will be deducted from your uc 

You will get uc still 

Have you reported your health condition to uc as there could be an additional payment if you get awarded lcwra 

I suggest you do a benefits calculator to check all your circumstances 

yes i have told them

janer1967

Do you get lcwra,  have you provided fit notes and filled in the uc50 form and had the work capability assessment 

happyfella

no i do not get lcwra and to be honest i would not want it. i have provided fit notes but refused to fill in the uc50, if that is the form that is 40 pages long or something like that. I told them that it would cause me a lot of stress filling it in, and they agreed that i did not need to fill it in. but, they wanted me to carry on sending fit notes. my doctor was not happy and wrote to them.

calcotti

By choosing not to engage with the process of the Work Capability Assessment you are potentially depriving yourself of an additional £343/month.

Note that unless the government have a last minute change of mind your UC will reduce by £87/month in October.

happyfella

calcotti said:

By choosing not to engage with the process of the Work Capability Assessment you are potentially depriving yourself of an additional £343/month.

Note that unless the government have a last minute change of mind your UC will reduce by £87/month in October.

can you please explain about the reduction

calcotti

happyfella said:..can you please explain about the reduction

The government increased UC by £20/week (£86.67/month) in April 2020 as part of the Covid response. That £20 uplift is being removed in October (unless there is a change of mind).

happyfella

woodbine said:

@happyfella why would you chose to deprive yourself of benefits? Lcwra/ mortgage support/ council tax benefit?
Ok I admit SMI is now a loan but the other two are benefits you should be claiming.

Because we are proud people and old fashioned. We have worked most of our lives and don't want to be claiming for lots of things. I know it sounds daft and i have been told this many times, but it is just the way we are.