Carers allowance and LCWRA

deetee561
deetee561 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
edited January 2022 in Universal Credit (UC)
Hi everyonee


if you currently get lcwra with universial credit are you able to make a claim to care for somebody via carers allowance?
if so will you still be able to get lcwra and carers allowance both at the same time,
(i dont mean getting carers element and lcwra both at same time)

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    Hi,
    Yes you can. The only advantages to claiming Carers Allowance as well as UC is it pays class 1 NI and CA can be paid weekly, where as UC is monthly. The carers allowance is deducted in full from any UC entitlement.
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    You can but there is little point because the Carer's Allowance will simply be deducted from the UC so there is no financial gain. The only difference would be Class 1 NI credits through the CA rather than Class 3 credits through UC but this has no practical significance for most people. I infer that you are already aware that you cannot get the carer element and the LCWRA element in UC for the same person.
  • deetee561
    deetee561 Community member Posts: 2 Listener
    How much is carers allowance deducted from uc? 
    Is it the full 270.40 a month
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    deetee561 said:
    How much is carers allowance deducted from uc? 
    Is it the full 270.40 a month
    It’s the full amount (which is £292.93/month because there are more than four weeks in a month). As advised there is no financial gain claiming both.
  • Claire01
    Claire01 Community member Posts: 15 Connected
    edited March 2022
    Could someone explain the carers allowance and UC with carers element, how much would a carer receive a month £ and would the other person they care for benefits get affected ie housing benefit, council tax, uc, lcwra ? Please
    As I need a carer now and apprehensive to apply, thought id try here and get advice before the applies?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    edited March 2022
    Claire01 said:
    Could someone explain the carers allowance and UC with carers element, how much would a carer receive a month £ and would the other person they care for benefits get affected ie housing benefit, council tax, uc, lcwra ? Please
    As I need a carer now and apprehensive to apply, thought id try here and get advice before the applies?
    As mentioned in the thread claiming carers allowance and UC at the same time the carers allowance will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 
    You can claim carers element without claiming carers allowance. However if the person that’s caring claims the LCWRA their self they won’t be able to claim carers element at the same time. 
    To be entitled to carers element or carers allowance the person being cared for must claim a qualifying disability benefit such as PIP daily living or DLA mid/high rate.
    Claiming carers element will increase their UC by £163.73 per month. 
    Your benefits will not be affected if someone claims either of those 2 benefits for looking after you. 
  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    poppy123456 said:
    As mentioned in the thread claiming carers allowance and UC at the same time the carers element will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 
    Typo - the carers allowance will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    Thanks calcotti, i edited my comment and corrected it. I really shouldn't use my phone when commenting..
  • Claire01
    Claire01 Community member Posts: 15 Connected
    Does this mean that the carer element is £163.73 as well as £324.83 standard rate uc
    £488.56 per month ?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    Claire01 said:
    Does this mean that the carer element is £163.73 as well as £324.83 standard rate uc
    £488.56 per month ?

    That's correct. Your carer must be caring for you for at least 35 hours per week.
  • Claire01
    Claire01 Community member Posts: 15 Connected
    When I use the turn 2 us calculator it gives me 2 different outcomes and so its confusing, probably why my questions are duplicated 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    A benefits calculator is only as good as the information you put into it. It's probably given you the carers allowance amount too but as advised, there's no financial gain to claiming both together because the CA is deducted in full from any UC entitlement.
  • Claire01
    Claire01 Community member Posts: 15 Connected
    edited March 2022
    I did one benefits calculator with the carers allowance and one without, the one without didn’t put the carer element in and as you mentioned submitting with the CA it deducted that amount, so none the wiser as to how much my carer would receive?

    even though in the benefits calculator it suggests if you are a carer but doesn’t calculat a balance at the end with the carer element.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Community member Posts: 59,054 Championing
    edited March 2022
    Claire01 said:
    so none the wiser as to how much my carer would receive?


    You answered your own question regarding this here.
    Claire01 said:
    Does this mean that the carer element is £163.73 as well as £324.83 standard rate uc
    £488.56 per month ?
    If your carer is single, with no rent then that calculation is correct, as advised previously.
  • Claire01
    Claire01 Community member Posts: 15 Connected
    If rent is claimed then does the amount of 488.56 get deducted ?

  • calcotti
    calcotti Community member Posts: 10,005 Championing
    If you rent your home then you can claim help with your rent and this becomes an extra element of UC (the housing element) which increases your UC amount.

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