Hi, my name is alvb! My partner is on uc and at ymca how many nights a week is she allowed to ...

Hi @alvb,

A very warm welcome to the Scope community. It’s lovely to have you here, and thank you for posting your question.

I’m not a benefits adviser, but I’m a disabled person living in England. I also have an unpaid carer who receives Carer’s Allowance.

From what I understand, your partner may still be eligible for Carer’s Allowance if they:

   •   Provide at least 35 hours of care per week

   •   Continue to meet the eligibility criteria (please click the purple section for details)

Carers also need to:

   •   Report any changes in their circumstances to the DWP as soon as possible

That said, I’m not 100% sure whether your partner would still be seen as providing 35 hours of care per week if they are often staying away from home during weekdays, at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) or Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). Also, if this is only a temporary arrangement lasting less than 28 days, it may not be something to worry about. Please see the information below for more detail.👇🏼

According to official government guidance, your partner might still receive Carer’s Allowance if they temporarily stop providing care. This can include any short period (less than 28 days)where they provide less than 35 hours of care in a week (Please see the screenshot). However, if the arrangement lasts more than 28 days, it’s important to report this to the DWP Carer’s Allowance Unit.It’s also worth noting that while government guidance says you must report a temporary break in caring if it lasts more than 28 days, it doesn’t clearly state that your partner would automatically lose their Carer’s Allowance because of it.

Just to clarify, when you mentioned “YMCA”, did you mean the accommodation and support service (Young Men’s Christian Association)? Or was it possibly a misspelling of LCWRA (Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity) or YWCA (Young Women’s Christian Association)? Although I doubt it may have any relevance-Clarifying this could help other members offer more accurate advice, especially those with related  lived experience.

I would also recommend contacting the Carers UK helplineor the DWP Carer’s Allowance Unit directly, as they can give guidance that suits your exact situation.

If you feel comfortable, please do share any updates or responses here, as it may help others in similar situations. You are not alone, and this helpful community is here to support you.

Best wishes 🤝

Ha, I couldn’t post anything on the forum after this message, mainly on the Green Paper thread.