A few questions about benefits

Hi Bazza,

I hope you don't mind me jumping in on this one.
Pension Credit will take your wife's Carers Allowance into account in full, but a Carer Premium of £34.95 is added to the Pension Credit applicable amount, which effectively reduces the amount of Carers Allowance that they take off your Pension Credit. They take £62.70 off you but give you £34.95. 
If you have a Pension Credit letter where your award is broken down, you should see a figure of £34.95 in the amount you need to Iive on. If Pension Credit are taking the Carers Allowance into account this carer premium should already be in the calculation.

Lee

Hi Tracy1965,

Carers Allowance can only be claimed by a carer, for looking after a severely disabled person who is receiving the middle or higher rate DLA care, any rate of PIP daily living or any rate of AA (Attendance Allowance). 
If your son is 15 he cannot claim any benefits in his own right as he is not old enough so he wouldn't be able to claim CA for looking after anybody. You can claim it for looking after him if he gets DLA middle or higher rate care. There are a few other rules as well, in that the carer looks after the disabled person for 35 hours a week or more, and doesn't earn more than £116 a week from paid employment.

Lee