Hi, my name is L154! I put a claim into UC asking for backdated Carer Element

hi

thanks for your reply. Yes, I do not tend to heed advice from them very often, but I kept seeing care allowance and care element being brought up and I believed they were one of the same benefit. Even UC coaches call carers element, carers allowance. I got a reply yesterday, the one stating they won’t be back dating carers element, but then in the next paragraph he wrote “carers allowance will be paid via UC from July 2023 as per your change of circumstances. I replied saying “this is why you confused us and we thought both benefits were one of the same!”  I’ve asked for MR because I truly believe we have the right, UC were very quick to inform us we couldn’t have carers allowance. Why they told us that I don’t know as I’m now aware CA has nothing to do with UC. Looking back on journal entries dating back to 2019 UC were asked “can we claim carers as we couldn’t afford outside help and had been told not eligible for CA due to husband working. It was written in a journal entry by us “can we please get some advice, we have both always worked, we do not understand anything to do with the benefit system and it is also very confusing when you do find information online”. We couldn’t speak to CA as the Q for an app was very long, then COVID hit and it was like a large number of people, ourselves included, were just left to try to figure it out by ourselves. On one journal entry UC were told “can’t get carers allowance as husband works, he does care for his partner though, works full time because we couldn’t afford for him not to. Our children, at the time, aged 7&8 down as young carers too as they care for mum sometimes!  Mum on PIP, highest for both elements for 10 years and shortly after accepted into ESA LCWRA. Is there anything else that we could be eligible for as we are really struggling!?” We actually lost our house and became homeless, having to go to the council. UC reply “definitely not eligible for CA due to husband probably earning over the amount in salary, per week, to enable a claim!” That’s it!  Surely, one sentence more of “however, as CA has nothing to do with UC, let’s stop telling you you can’t have it because you can, in fact,  claim carers element, which is part of UC!”  Never told that and I think that’s completely irresponsible of them. We didn’t want a massive sit down meeting going over every single possible eligible benefit, all we wanted was help with UC and eligible benefits for that!