Pension Credit and AA

cwatson0000

I claim PIP and I’m moving out of my home by next month to be closer to family. My grandma is going to claim carers allowance for me and in turn that increases her pension credit rather than actually getting CA payment. She will be caring for me as I have a carer at the moment but will obviously be leaving the area. 

I have advised my Grandma in the past to apply for AA because she is diabetic, has high blood pressure and suffered a stroke about 10 years ago and has had falls in the past. She also suffers a bit with low mood.

Can she get the carers increase for pension credit and claim AA at the same time? Even if she was to get the lower rate AA I think it would benefit her. She would be caring for me and my issues, but she has issues of her own as well. 

Does someone need to be caring for the person to get AA? 

Also if she could claim CA and AA at the same time, would decision makers find it very odd that she would be on both? I’m not sure?

calcotti

It is possible to receive AA and be a carer too. That is OK and many people can do so. People can need to have problems themselves but still be able to help others with other activities.

ShirleyW

Does your Grandma live on her own?
If she does and she starts to get Attendance Allowance, then her Pension Credit could increase by even more than just the Carer's Element.  She may be able to receive the Severe Disability Premium as well.  As long as no one is receiving Carer's Allowance for looking after her.

I receive Attendance Allowance and also receive the Carer's Element for looking after my husband.  I have different needs to him.

cwatson0000

Hi Shirley, that’s very interesting! 

I have looked into this before, and I’ve seen that being on AA can increase your pension credit… she does live alone at the moment but we are thinking of perhaps renting somewhere together… if this was the case and she was to get the AA would her pension credit still increase if she was living with someone? 

ShirleyW

If your Grandma was living with another adult (such as yourself) and she claimed Attendance Allowance, then the Severe Disability Premium is only payable if the other adult also receives a disability benefit.  

Such as Attendance Allowance, the Care Component of Pip or DLA.  But this only applies as long as no one receives Carer's Allowance for her.

How much is your Grandma's State Pension (not the Pension Credit bit)?  Is it more than Carer's Allowance?

Also I think, if your Grandma only has an underlying entitlement to Carer's Allowance - ie she is not actually receiving any actual cash Carer's Allowance, then you yourself may be entitled to the SDP as well.  Of course this all hinges on Grandma receiving Attendance Allowance in the first place.

It would be wise for you to both check this out with a Welfare Benefits Agency or CAB.  But to begin with I would encourage her to look into the Attendance Allowance claim.  It is all about the help she needs for personal care.  It doesn't matter if she doesn't actually receive any care from anyone.

cwatson0000

Thank you very much Shirley, this information is all very useful for me and my grandma. 

She doesn’t actually get any state pension, all her pension is from pension credit… I don’t know if they’re like the same in some ways, but i know she gets the single persons rate for pension credit which is something like £180 a week. She doesn’t have any savings. 

I get PIP daily living, so if we were to rent somewhere together and she was to get AA I’m guessing this would mean she would get the increase to her pension credit? As long as no one is claiming carers allowance for her, which no one is planning to. 

calcotti

cwatson0000 said:

She doesn’t actually get any state pension, all her pension is from pension credit… I don’t know if they’re like the same in some ways, but i know she gets the single persons rate for pension credit which is something like £180 a week. She doesn’t have any savings. 

The single person rate is £182.60/week.

ShirleyW

If she doesn't get any State Pension then that changes things.
I have to go out now but will come back later with some more information.

poppy123456

ShirleyW said:

, then you yourself may be entitled to the SDP as well.

Looking back at previous threads the OP currently claims Universal Credit and the SDP is not payable when claiming this. Previous thread here confirms a UC claim.  https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/90869/april-benefits-increase-not-in-payment#latest

ShirleyW

Thanks for that Poppy I didn't realise.  

@cwatson0000 because your Grandma doesn't receive any State Pension then she would actually receive £69.70 per week Carer's Allowance.  If she was receiving State Pension of £69.70 per week or more, then she would only have an underlying entitlement to it.

In your Grandma's situation she would receive £69.70 Carer's Allowance but her Pension Credit would be reduced by £69.70 per week.

However she would receive the following amounts for Guarantee Pension Credit:

Standard Minimum Guarantee for a single person:   £182.60
Plus Severe Disability Premium for one person         £  69.40  (only if she is receiving Attendance Allow)
Carer Premium                                                         £  38.85
                                                                                 -------
                                                                      Total   £290.85
LESS CARER'S ALLOWANCE RECEIVED                      - £  69.70
                                                                                 -------
Weekly Pension Credit due:                                       £221.15


All the above would still apply to your Grandma even if you were living with her, as long as you receive PIP daily living or one of the other qualifying disability benefits and nobody receives Carer's allowance or Carer's Element for looking after her.

As Poppy says above because you receive Universal Credit you would not be able to have a Severe Disability Premium.  My previous comment about the possibility of you receiving it was incorrect.

Try using Entitled2's benefit calculator and put in Grandma's details and do one for yourself as well.
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/

To be on the safe side check with one of the Welfare Benefits offices.

poppy123456

cwatson0000 said:

She doesn’t actually get any state pension, all her pension is from pension credit…

Are you 100% sure of this? Please check with your grandma because the correct advice can't be given without all the correct details. It does seem odd that she doesn't claim any state pension at all.

cwatson0000

My grandma has never worked in the UK so I don’t think she’s entitled to any state pension 

poppy123456

Just because she never worked here it doesn't mean she's not entitled to state pension. Claiming certain benefits would pay NI credits towards a state pension.

cwatson0000

She came to live in the UK when she was about 65 so as far as I know she has never claimed any other benefits apart from pension credit

cwatson0000

Is her payment gets reduced then she isn’t any better off claiming carers allowance is she?

poppy123456

Then yes it's unlikely, thanks for that information. Just so that you're aware she needs to be living in GB for 2 out of the last 3 years to be able to claim AA. https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/eligibility

cwatson0000

Would she be any better off claiming carers allowance then?  

ShirleyW

Yes she would be better off claiming Carer's Allowance.  The Carer Premium of £38.85 would be added to her Pension Credit.
The Carer's Allowance would be deducted but she would still get it as a separate payment from The Carer's Allowance part of DWP.

If she claims Carer's allowance she would be £38.85 per week better off than she is now.  

Attendance Allowance, if eligible would increase the Pension Credit even more, plus the Attendance Allowance itself.

Use a Benefits Calculator.