Parents esa + pip

tanya189 said:

calcotti said:

poppy123456 said:

The carer element can’t be backdated because he was claiming the LCWRA element and the same person can’t receive both elements. 

If mum is found to have LCWRA that decision is backdated so it would be possible to ask for previous APs to be recalculated with mum receiving LCWRA and dad receiving carer (if UC are willing to backdate the carer element).

From what you've said here, do I just ask them or do I need to make some kind of complaint?

It certainly isn't a complaint because there is nothing to complain about, everything is being done correctly. If LCWRA is awarded you can ask the question.
Has dad ever reported to UC that he cares for mum?

tanya189 said:

Ah OK. Was it a mistake that they haven't received the form yet? 

I thought you were referring to the possible future backdating of carer element if LCWRA is awarded. Yes, the form should have been issued 29 days after reporting the health condition and you should continue to chase that. A complaint about taht not having been sent out yet would be appropriate.

tanya189 said:

I think they assumed that if you weren't getting carers allowance before then you wouldn't be entitled to carers element. 

You don't have to get Carer's Allowance to get the carer element of UC, you need to provide 35 hours of care to someone in receipt of a relevant disability benefit. looking back through the thread, if you followed the advice given dad will have declared himself carer at the time they applied for UC.

tanya189 said: Mum turns pension age next year so I'm guessing it all changes again!

When mum reaches pension age and they are both pensioners UC will stop. Depending on their circumstances they may be able to claim Pension Credit. If they need help with rent they will have to claim Housing Benefit again.

A long way back in this thread (before dad was pension age) you said that he didn't think he would qualify for PIP so had never applied. Does he need frequent help to look after himself and if so have you looked at Attendance Allowance?
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/attendance-allowance/before-you-claim-attendance-allowance/what-is-attendance-allowance/

tanya189 said:

Calcotti- thank you for answering.

So I distinctly remember us calling to find out what we put for the date the caring started. We were told dad couldn't get it for caring for mum because he has health conditions and has lcwra. I started the caring application part and didn't finish it for this reason. 

That is correct - he can't be paid the carer element at the moment because he gets the LCWRA element but it would still have been sensible to record that he cares for mum. It's not an application as such - just a notification to UC. If mum gets LCWRA then dad will stop getting it (because only one person can get LCWRA at a time) and dad can then be paid the carer element.

Welcome to the world of UC - the great simplification of the benefits system!

tanya189 said: I've also noticed that they're deducting £778.60 for dad's pension but he only gets the full pension amount of £718.40 which I don't really understand

Dad gets paid £718.40 every 4 weeks. UC convert this to a monthly amount.
£718.40 / 4 = weekly amount £179.60 x 52 = annual amount £9,339.20 / 12 = monthly amount £778.27/month (not sure why there's a difference of 33p).

He gets 13 pension payments/ year but only 12 UC payments.

tanya189 said: They're also having some money deducted deducted loan or repayments and have no idea what that is! They don't give you much info do they

Did they ask for an advance payment at the time they claimed UC? If so that has to be repaid by deduction from future payments.

tanya189 said:

Nope no advance payments or anything like that. They weren't paying anything back before universal credit started

When they claimed UC the first payment would be due one month and one week after the claim date but claimants are offered an advance. If they take it, it has to be paid back in instalments. If mum and dad didn't do that and you/they don't know what the deduction is post a message in the payments section and ask?