Carer allowance

lesamo
lesamo Online Community Member Posts: 27 Listener
in Benefits and income
Can anyone tell or know if a person is disable getting enhanced PIP and has a carer who comes in four times a day to help him wash, fresh up etc. Can his wife who is already looking after him throughout the 24 hours apply for a carer allowance. i.e. Can she become a carer alongside the professional carer.

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,458 Championing
    Yes providing the person being cared for claims daily living PIP. The person that wants to claim carers allowance mustn’t earn more than £132/week, if they work.  Do they claim an other benefits?
  • lesamo
    lesamo Online Community Member Posts: 27 Listener
    Thanks Poooy. No they both have no other income and have applied for universal credit. They live in a shared ownership house. Can they also apply for council tax reduction and wold they get anything towards their mortgage payment.
  • lesamo
    lesamo Online Community Member Posts: 27 Listener
    Sorry,
    I meant Poppy. Many apologies.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,458 Championing
    There’s no financial gain to claiming carers allowance and UC at the same time because it’s just deducted in full from any UC entitlement. 
    When they claim UC the person doing the caring can report this and they will receive the carers element in their UC maximum entitlement. 
    They will not be able to claim for help with any mortgage. They will need to be claiming UC for 9 consecutive months with zero earnings and then it’s just a loan. 
    As it’s shared ownership if they have rent
    to pay then they can claim for help with this but they will need proof of liability to pay rent, such as a tenancy agreement.
    The person that claims PIP can report a health condition when they claim UC and they will need to make sure they send a fit
    note within 7 days of that and continue to send fit notes without any gaps until a decision is made on the work capability assessment. See link for more details. https://www.gov.uk/health-conditions-disability-universal-credit

    No worries about the name typo lol it was funny 😆 
  • lesamo
    lesamo Online Community Member Posts: 27 Listener
    Very new to these benefits as I am helping a family member get what they are entitle to. Very difficult to talk to any professional bodies to get your questions answer in early stages. What if we haven't applied for what ever is possible for them or have applied for wrong benefit. Can that be corrected later on. With my limited time on joining this forum, it has already proved to be a great help.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,458 Championing
    Universal Credit has replaced all the old legacy benefits so it's now the only means tested benefit that's possible to claim. As it's a means tested benefit they will need to claim as a couple. If they have savings/capital of more than £16,000 they'll be excluded from claiming. They can use a benefits calculator to check entitlement. When they claim it will be 1 month and 6 days before their first payment. They can have a advance payment but they will need to repay that back from future UC payments.
    If they aren't currently claiming any benefits what are they currently living off? Did either of them work?

  • lesamo
    lesamo Online Community Member Posts: 27 Listener
    They are purely paying from the savings which has now dwindle down to £3000 which only be enough for another two months. The husband is on enhanced PIP and that helps with the monthly cost. Applied for UC on 29th August 2022 but no acknowledgement by email or otherwise from UC just says that the application has been completed when they go into the wife's UC account. Is that normal??
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,458 Championing
    They will both need to claim UC. One will then receive a linking code to join both claims together. Have then done this? If so they need to check their journal to do list to see if it says anything else they need to complete.
    They will both be expected to attend their local Job centre for their appointment and to agree to their claimant commiments.
    Has the person that claims PIP reported a health condition and sent a fit/sick note? If not then they will need to do this.
    The person that's caring will not have any work commiments. The person that reports the health condition will be classed as a job seeker until a decision on their work capability assessment says otherwise. It will be their work coaches discretion wether they turn off or reduce work commiments, some do and others don't.
    If they claimed on 29th, their first UC payment will be 4th October. One the last day of September they will receive their statement on their journal and this will tell them all the elements that's included as well as any deductions (if applicable) and the amount that will be paid into their bank.

  • lesamo
    lesamo Online Community Member Posts: 27 Listener
    Thanks, Poppy. You are full of the correct information. Much appreciated.
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    Glad we could help you @lesamo. It is the least you deserve. If we can do anything else to help please don't hesitate to let us know. We are all here for you  :)

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