Universal credit

netty7777

I’ve received a letter saying this about my decision to backdate my care allowance I put in what does it mean it says the decision maker has decided that special circumstances apply and my universal with be adjusted from date of claim does this mean it will be backdate once adjusted? 

calcotti

I assume that you are receiving UC and have now claimed CA with a backdated start date. If so I interpret the letter to mean that the carer element will be added to your UC backdated to the Assessment Period in which your Carer's Allowance claim starts from. 

(The letter is actually wrong to refer to special circumstances, the law requires them to include the carer element for any AP in which CA is payable. However as long as you get the correct result it isn't worth raining the point.)

Above assumes that you are not already getting the LCWRA element for yourself as you cannot receive both the LCWRA and carer element.

netty7777

I’m already claiming tc and I claimed the ca part and put in a refrerral to have it backdate to 7/21 and this is the letter I’ve received not had any payment for ca part so I’m assuming il be getting a backdate payment for payment missed from 7/21 ?

calcotti

You are mixing up two different things, you referred to carer allowance in your opening post, in this latest post you refer to the ca part of UC. Carer Allowance and the carer element of UC are different things. 

Have you applied for Carer Allowance or just the carer element of UC?

Was the request for backdating to 7/21 because the person you care for has been awarded a disability benefit from that date?

The reference to special circumstances is because you should have told them previously that you were caring. They should only apply the carer element from the month in which you tell them you are a carer unless they decide special circumstances apply. If they have said such circumstances do apply that means they will backdate.

Note that to calculate money owed they will prepare new statements for all the months affected and these will overwrite the old statements. If you want a record of the previous statements you should download copies now.

You will only get the arrears payment after they have calculated it. It will be paid separately to your normal payment. Your next regular payment should include the carer element.

Again all this assumes you are not already getting the LCWRA element.

netty7777

Sorry meant care part of uc 

calcotti

So yes, sounds like you are getting backdating as requested. Please note whatI said about the statements in my previous post.