Carers element

madmaddden
madmaddden Online Community Member Posts: 38 Connected
in Universal Credit (UC)

I have been on UC/LCW and PIP Daily Living Standard for the last few years.

I live with a sibling who last year had to claim UC (Normal Jobseeker version) after losing her job. They are harassing her a bit but she is ok-ish about it as she does want a job.

While she is out of work we have now realised she might be able to claim a carers element on her UC as she easily spends at least 35 hours a week 'looking after me' - shopping, cooking meals, watching over me etc.

I've read here and elsewhere that she simply needs to put in a change of circumstance in her journal as a carer but the question is - is that it? Would declaring she cares for me for 35+ hours a week and the fact I the person she cares for (Me) is on PIP Daily Living be enough to trigger the carers payment for her?

If not what proof would the DWP need short of installing CCTV in our house with a direct feed to the Jobcentre to see her in action caring for me (joking here!) to see whether she is not exaggerating her help for me for the extra carer element?

For example will they ask me questions? Do we need to provide a diary or log-book? Or is her declaration of 35 hrs help plus the fact I'm on PIP DL enough to automatically trigger the carer element? Information online about this is deliberately vague I think, even on this forum and at Benefits and Work.

Comments

  • Santosha12
    Santosha12 Online Community Member Posts: 3,753 Championing
    https://forum.scope.org.uk/discussion/144750/carers-element

    Hi @Madmadden, I don't know the answer sorry but it might be worth having a look at www.carersuk.org.uk as they have a lot of factsheets, a forum plus a helpline.

    Also, there is www.nationalcarerscard.org.uk which I think is more to do with getting discounts etc but still might be worth looking at too.

    All the very best to you and I hope you get the answers you're looking for. Take care.

  • Kimi87
    Kimi87 Online Community Member Posts: 8,508 Championing

    All she needs to do is declare the change that she is caring for you via her Journal.

    That really is it.

  • Rachel_Scope
    Rachel_Scope Posts: 3,073 Scope Online Community Coordinator

    Hi @madmaddden. You don't need to provide any proof of her caring for you as she'll need to provide your details so they can check if you are on a qualifying benefit, which you are as you receive PIP. Here's some information on what she would receive by claiming the Carers Element https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/what-youll-get .

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