Carers Allowance and income ESA

bignige121
bignige121 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Hi

My wife has been receiving PIP for a number of years. She has also been receiving Carers Allowance for a number of years for our son who is special needs.

The PIP has been stopped even after a mandatory reconsideration. We will not appeal.

I have a very low income from a 20 hour per week job and I am also a part-time student 20 hours per week.

My wife has not worked for 14 years - since our son was born.

I have recently been told about income based ESA. Will we qualify?

I have read that you cannot get income-based ESA if you are receiving Carers Allowance - but also that if you qualify for ESA the Carers Allowance will be stopped - but you will instead receive the "Carers Premium" as part of ESA??

Can anyone help with this please?
N

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Hi,

    All areas are now a full Universal credit area so your wife will not be able to claim Income related ESA, it will have to be Universal credit.

    As she's been receiving carers allowance for looking after your son then she maybe able to claim New style contributions based ESA but a sick note will be needed from her GP to be able to claim this. It will also depend on how long she's been receiving the carers allowance for.

    It's extremely difficult to give the correct advice about what benefits to claim on an internet forum and you should both speak to your local CAB for a full benefits check.

    As for your son's PIP is there any reasons why you're not taking it to Tribunal? Most MR decisions remain the same and most people end up taking it to Tribunal. 71% of those who appear in person have a decision in their favour. It's a long process but well worth considering it.
  • bignige121
    bignige121 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    She has been claiming carers allowance for 10 years or more.

    N
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    I'd still advise a visit to her local CAB for a full benefits check. Impossible to advise correctly on an internet forum.
  • bignige121
    bignige121 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    We will call the ESA people next week. I think that she will have had enough NI credited as a result of carers allowance to get new style ESA.

    N
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    edited December 2018
    There's a different number to ring to claim New style ESA. If you ring the ESA claims line then that's incorrect, she'll most likely be told to claim Universal credit. The number she needs to ring to claim New style ESA is here in this link.

    New style ESA is payable for 365 days unless she's placed into the Support Group.
     She'll also need a sick note from her GP.
  • amazinglyso
    amazinglyso Online Community Member Posts: 3 Listener
    Hi there,

    I am new to the forum and read your post, yet wanted to see if I could be of any useful help :/ .  If your net earnings exceed £21'000 a year (after tax) then neither your wife or child will qualify for any benefits - possibly only tax credits.  If you earn less than £21'000, you and your family should be entitled to the minimal of income related ESA and/or equivalent benefits yet not carers allowance.

    Your next step should be Citizens Advice (without fail), no matter who attends the appointment on your behalf if you can't.  They are thoroughly qualified to best see what you can claim and also effectively approach the DWP to get you the benefits you can apply.

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    amazinglyso said:
    Hi there,

    I am new to the forum and read your post, yet wanted to see if I could be of any useful help :/ .  If your net earnings exceed £21'000 a year (after tax) then neither your wife or child will qualify for any benefits - possibly only tax credits.  If you earn less than £21'000, you and your family should be entitled to the minimal of income related ESA and/or equivalent benefits yet not carers allowance.

    Your next step should be Citizens Advice (without fail), no matter who attends the appointment on your behalf if you can't.  They are thoroughly qualified to best see what you can claim and also effectively approach the DWP to get you the benefits you can apply.

    Some of your advice is not correct sorry. Carers allowance is payable IF the person claiming earns less than £120 per week, it's not based on household income.

    If Income related ESA was possible then they would need to claim as a couple. With a partner working 20 hours per week then the income related ESA would be reduced to zero.

    As previously advised, it's no longer possible anyway to claim Income related ESA because all areas are now a full UC area.

    New style ESA is not means tested so household income/partner working will not affect this.
  • bignige121
    bignige121 Online Community Member Posts: 6 Listener
    Does the new style ESA entail attending a medical or similar?

    N
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    Yes most people have a face to face assessment. It's exactly the same benefit as ESA but it's contributions based and isn't means tested. Evidence will be needed to support a claim too.
  • BenefitsTrainingCo
    BenefitsTrainingCo Online Community Member Posts: 2,621 Trailblazing
    Hi bignige121,

    New style ESA is similar to income-related ESA in that you will be asked to complete a capability for work questionnaire and will (almost certainly) have to attend a medical assessment unless they agree to do one at your home. 

    Lee

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