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Help please about PIP and Carers Allowance

schoolmum

Hi

Hope everybody is keeping as well as possible.

I would like some advice please.

I recently posted an update that I had good news and have been awarded PIP at enhanced rate for both daily living and mobility. I also get contribution ESA. I claim no other benefits or universal credit.

Now that I have been given my PIP award if my daughter who looks after me puts in a claim for carers allowance and it was successful would it be backdated for just 3 months or to my claim start date which due to the backlogs took from last September.

My daughter does not work, well she does work hard as a stay at home mum but claims no benefits.

All advice is much appreciated thank you.

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schoolmum

Oh forgot to say my contribution based ESA is LCWRA, I am in the support group category.
Thank you.

poppy123456

It can be backdated to the start of the PIP award providing she providing she qualified at that time. Providing your PIP includes the daily living part. It won't affect any of your benefits.

https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility

Edit to add, is your ESA the old contributions based or New style ESA? If it's the old contributions based, do you live alone?

schoolmum

@poppy123456

Thank you for such a quick reply as always Poppy.

Yes she was caring for me before my claim started and qualifies and she was not working herself or claiming any benefits.

I will tell her later. What would she need to provide with the claim, ie as evidence and from your knowledge approx how long are claims currently taking.

Ohh also would her claiming effect my esa support group payment ie I get an extra amount for being in support group so would this stop.

Many thanks and very much appreciated.

poppy123456

She won't need to provide any evidence because they will check what other benefits exactly you're claiming. Timescale is anything up to about 12 weeks.

You didn't answer this question.

poppy123456 said:

is your ESA the old contributions based or New style ESA? If it's the old contributions based, do you live alone?

If you're ESA claim started after December 2018 then it's highly likely to be New style ESA so there's no disability premiums payable.

schoolmum

@poppy123456

No I live with my husband who has now retired.

I think it is new style contribution based. My husband was working and I didn't qualify for income based. I was awarded in 2019. Actually you helped and gave me alot of support when I applied.
Thank you

schoolmum

@poppy123456
Sorry I was editing my previous post and asking you another question in it. Our posts crossed

poppy123456

Thank you for that. I thought it was New style ESA but i couldn't remember exactly which one. I advise a lot of people and often forget who is who

schoolmum said:

@poppy123456
Sorry I was editing my previous post and asking you another question in it. Our posts crossed

No worries, that's probably because i came back to edit my comment. She can claim carers allowance online here. https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/how-to-claim

schoolmum

@poppy123456

Gosh so they wouldn't take some of my ESA away if she claims and it could be backdated from last September that would be brilliant and a great help to her. Carers all do so much for us and I am very grateful to her and my hubby for all they do for me.

Thank you so much Poppy.

Your knowledge advice and support is as always much appreciated. You go out of your way to help everyone on here.

poppy123456

You're welcome. No, it won't affect any of your benefits. Yes, it can backdated. When she fills out the online form it will ask when she started caring for you, if she puts down the date your PIP award started from then that will be the date it will be paid from.

Thank you also for the very kind words!

schoolmum

@poppy123456

Thank you so much Poppy. My daughter read all the links you provided and said it was a very easy online form to complete.

schoolmum

Hi Poppy and all others reading this post.

Hope all is good with you and you are keeping safe and as well as possible.

Please can you help as I am in need of your advice again?

My daughter applied for carers allowance recently but has not heard back yet regarding a decision.

Due to her circumstances she has an appointment and will be applying for Universal Credit.

Does she tell them she has applied for carers already but not had decision yet?

Also if they grant her UC from say tomorrow for example....what will happen if and when she gets carers allowance back payment.

Ie will she get the full amount of back pay up until her UC starts (to tomorrow for example)

Thanks and your knowledge and advice is much appreciated.

@poppy123456

poppy123456

Her UC will start from the day she applies. Each assessment period lasts for 30 days. At the end of that she will receive a statement and it will tell her all the elements she’s entitled to and any deductions. First payment will be 1 month and 6 days after she first claimed.
When she claims she needs to report being your carer. Once the carers allowance is in payment it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement.
Any money owed before that start of her UC claim will be hers and won’t affect her UC.

Her maximum UC entitlement will include the cares element.
Has she used a benefits calculator to check entitlement to UC? If she lives with a partner they will need to claim as a couple. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=1d75df55-6607-4ef3-ab12-c0a57d345f4c
edit to add, from the date she claims UC any carers allowance she receives will be an overpayment, if she’s entitled to UC.

schoolmum

@poppy123456

Thank you so much Poppy for your invaluable and knowledgable advice.

I think I have this correct it just takes a while for it to sink in. Lol.

If for example she starts a UC claim tomorrow any backdated carers allowance due will be paid in full from start of my pip award date until tomorrow without deductions.

Then her UC claim will start from tomorrow and will include the carers element.

So from my pip claim start date until today she should get backdated carers allowance (paid at some point in future) and then from tomorrow onwards she will get UC with carers element included. That way she won't have to pay anything back from her backdated carers money.

No partner and yes she will check that link thanks.

Ohh Poppy we would be lost without you and the other helpful members on here.
Many thanks.

schoolmum

@poppy123456
Sorry Poppy just spotted your edit

****edit to add, from the date she claims UC any carers allowance she receives will be an overpayment, if she’s entitled to UC.****

Should she ring or go online to tell carers allowance dept that she applying for UC?

Does this mean when she gets backdated carers allowance paid that from say today it finishes and carers element would start tomorrow?

For example she is due 20 weeks backdate carers allowance up to today but in 4 weeks gets paid 24 weeks payment. She would owe and need to pay 4 weeks back.
Thanks

poppy123456

You're welcome, as always.

Her carers allowance will be paid in full from the start of your PIP claim, even if she claims UC. Up until the date she claims UC she will not owe UC anything.

However, when she claims UC the carers allowance once it's in payment it will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement going forward and the deduction will be £302 per month.

Her carers allowance will continue to be paid either weekly or 4 weekly, which ever she chose when she claimed it.

She doesn't need to tell carers allowance that she's claimed UC. When the carers allowance starts UC should be informed by carers allowance that she's claiming it.

schoolmum said:

For example she is due 20 weeks backdate carers allowance up to today but in 4 weeks gets paid 24 weeks payment. She would owe and need to pay 4 weeks back.
Thanks

Yes, that's correct, the money will be owed to UC. She can either pay it back in full or they will reduce her UC monthly to repay it back. (Unless UC deduct the £302 from her first statement)

When she has her first UC statement she needs to make sure the carers element is added.

I hope i've explained myself ok, my brain seems to be frazzled today.

schoolmum

@poppy123456

Ohh thats brilliant information Poppy. I will keep re reading it to take it in.

I can relate totally to the brain being frazzled....💓

poppy123456

Yes, it's a lot to take in. It really depends on how long it takes the carers allowance to be awarded and very often there's long delays when applying for this.