Carers allowance and council tax

jamrumples

If someone was going to claim carers allowance, I’ve seen that it can affect council tax support, how and when is this a thing? 

Can someone explain this please. 

calcotti

Unless you are of pension age it will depend on the rules of your local authority’s scheme as every local authority can make their own rules.

For a pension age claim the amount of income ignored when calculating the CTR would be increased by a carer premium but the CA itself will count as income.

jamrumples

Also, it says that you get £67.25 a week but then you only get £168 or something, I don’t understand. 

So much conflicting things everywhere I can’t keep up I’ve asked so many Q’s just lately I know, I seem very scatty and all over the shop. It’s because I am. 

I’m trying to figure a way on how to help our financial situation because we are seriously struggling please don’t get annoyed at me. 

jamrumples

Thankyou teddy bear, I just realise that a lot of my W’s can seem repetitive. 

I ask over and again because I’m not really clued up on all of this and it very easily confuses me. So I have to re-ask in a different way in hopes that someone will explain in a very simple term. 

I’m fully understood that it’s down to each councils discretion and I will look into this but, now I’m confused as to how the internet states that you get X amount a week when you don’t. You get around £160 a month … not 69 a week which works out just short of £300

jamrumples

Sorry … £67 a week. 

poppy123456

jamrumples said:

Also, it says that you get £67.25 a week but then you only get £168 or something, I don’t understand. 

Carers allowance is now £69.70/week. The £168 you’re referring too is carers element of Universal Credit.
If you’re claiming UC the carers allowance is just deducted in full anyway. You can claim carers element without claiming carers allowance. 

However if the person is claiming LCWRA element for their self they can’t receive carers element at the same time. 

jamrumples

Poppy how does this work when one person is working full time and the other is not, because they are caring for a person? But they get a UC top up? 

Do they get 67 a week or 168 a month. I don’t understand? Thankyou 

calcotti

if you are claiming UC and you care for somebody in receipt of a disability benefit you can receive an additional £168.81/month (the carer element) - unless you are already being paid the LCWRA element for yourself as you cannotgetbothforthesame person.
If you do claim Carers Allowance (£69.70) also then that is deducted from the UC so doesn’t impact your total income. 

A person working and earning more than £132/week cannot claim Carers Allowance but can get the carer element of UC.

jamrumples

Can you let The DWP/UC know that you care for someone for 35 hours a week and not claim anything for it? 

So can you be a person alls carer but not take money away from them? If this is the case it’s all very unfair. 

Or to be acknowledged as a carer are you forced to claim? 

Thanks.

calcotti

You will not be treated as a carer on UC unless you are being paid the carer element.
When you refer to taking money away from the cared for person that will only apply to somebody on legacy benefits and in receipt of a Severe Disability Premium,

jamrumples

I’m sorry I know I’m confusing everyone, I’m in my own head trying to work out a way to help our financial situation but it seems every way there’s stumbling blocks. I’ve asked in a scenario of someone claiming for me, claiming for my mum… 

but she is on legacy benefits sdp esa… which is what started my 1st Q about council tax because if I was to claim carers element she would be okay with it… but if it also affects her council tax and she’s losing more money then that’s another kick. 

She receives … pip high for both, Esa sdp, child tax credits. Housing benefit and CTR. 

So back to my original Q … would she lose it if at some point I lose LCWRA and claim carers for her. 

poppy123456

As advised by calcotti.

calcotti said:

You will not be treated as a carer on UC unless you are being paid the carer element.
When you refer to taking money away from the cared for person that will only apply to somebody on legacy benefits and in receipt of a Severe Disability Premium,

So she would lose her SDP if you claimed either carers allowance or carers element of UC for looking after her.

jamrumples said:

if I was to claim carers element she would be okay with it… but if it also affects her council tax and she’s losing more money then that’s another kick. 

It wouldn't affect her council tax reduction.

jamrumples

Are you positive it won’t affect her CT? Only I read that some councils it’s up to their discretion. 

poppy123456

jamrumples said:

Are you positive it won’t affect her CT? Only I read that some councils it’s up to their discretion. 

I am yes. It would be you claiming the carers allowance not her. So it may affect your council tax reduction and not hers. However, it’s a moot point because if you do claim carers allowance her SDP would end. 

jamrumples

Okay thankyou. 

calcotti

I don’t agree with poppy on the CTR, I think it could vary between councils. Mother could be getting an SDP in the CTR calculation which she would lose if you receive something for caring for her.

poppy123456

Calcotti makes a good point there, which i forgot. I claim SDP in my ESA but my CTR reduction doesn't include it in the calculation, which proves that all LAs are different.

jamrumples

Okay thankyou 

jamrumples

Hello me again, if my mum was to move over on UC and I claimed carers for her, how would that work? Would she lose out then? 

Less so than if she was on esa sdp? 

calcotti

jamrumples said:

Hello me again, if my mum was to move over on UC and I claimed carers for her, how would that work? Would she lose out then? 

Less so than if she was on esa sdp? 

In general I would expect the UC to be more than the ESA without SDP but not apply for everybody but UC will be less than ESA with SDP.
Use a benefits calculator to check the entitlement for your mum's circumstances - you will be able to compare results for ESA and for UC.

poppy123456

jamrumples said:

Hello me again, if my mum was to move over on UC and I claimed carers for her, how would that work? Would she lose out then? 

Less so than if she was on esa sdp? 

I don't understand why you would want to claim carers allowance for her because your maximum benefits entitlement will remain the same as it is now because the carers allowance will be deducted in full from your UC. You can't claim carers element of UC because you're already receiving the LCWRA element.

It seems rather pointless for your mum to claim UC and be worse off when your maximum benefits entitlement won't change.