ESA and CA

tazwhoever
tazwhoever Posts: 1,326 Forumite
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in Benefits & tax credits
Is it possible for a claimant of CB ESA (SG) to claim CA for close friend who is a pensioner?

If so, does this contradict ESA?

Thanks

Comments

  • nannytone_2
    nannytone_2 Posts: 12,948 Forumite
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    they are overlapping benefits ( both paid for inability to work full time) and so they can't be claimed at the same time.
    you can get underlying entitlement to carers allowance and that may give you an addition premium depending on your household income.
    it may also help with housing benefit.

    is the friend receiving pension credit?
    do they live alone?
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    tazwhoever wrote: »
    Is it possible for a claimant of CB ESA (SG) to claim CA for close friend who is a pensioner?

    If so, does this contradict ESA?

    It depends whether the work involved in caring for the friend contradicts the reasons that you're claiming ESA.
  • rockingbilly
    rockingbilly Posts: 853 Forumite
    This happens regularly especially with pensioners where both claim say Attendance Allowance and then they each claims to provide care for each other for over 35 hours a week each.
    This is also an overlapping situation, but it may well and regularly does, give the couple a substantial top up from Pension Credit. From memory in this situation the couple would be given a guaranteed weekly income of approx. £420 plus up to another £160 from the Attendance Allowance awards. Additionally they would have no Council Tax to pay with Pension Credit and would also get maximum housing benefit.

    Currently the DWP have no way of checking if the 35 hour rule is being adhered to.
  • nannytone_2
    nannytone_2 Posts: 12,948 Forumite
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    rockingbilly wrote: »
    This happens regularly especially with pensioners where both claim say Attendance Allowance and then they each claims to provide care for each other for over 35 hours a week each.
    This is also an overlapping situation, but it may well and regularly does, give the couple a substantial top up from Pension Credit. From memory in this situation the couple would be given a guaranteed weekly income of approx. £420 plus up to another £160 from the Attendance Allowance awards. Additionally they would have no Council Tax to pay with Pension Credit and would also get maximum housing benefit.

    Currently the DWP have no way of checking if the 35 hour rule is being adhered to.

    in that situation, claiming carers allowance would actually be saving the government money!

    2 disabled pensioners living together ( no other adult) claiming pension credit, would BOTH receive the severe disability premium of £62 a week.
    instead they claim carers premium which is around £34 each.

    as you see, claiming CA isn't always the best option
  • rockingbilly
    rockingbilly Posts: 853 Forumite
    nannytone wrote: »
    in that situation, claiming carers allowance would actually be saving the government money!

    2 disabled pensioners living together ( no other adult) claiming pension credit, would BOTH receive the severe disability premium of £62 a week.
    instead they claim carers premium which is around £34 each.

    as you see, claiming CA isn't always the best option

    In your example they would claim the severe disability premium £134 a week + carers premium of £68 a week. Add those to the minimum Pension Credit for a couple of £237 a week gives them an entitlement to a minimum income level of £439 a week.

    Claiming carers allowance that gives an underlying entitlement does give the better option.
    Receiving the State Pension they would never get the carers allowance due to overlapping rules.
    If they didn't claim it their total minimum income level would fall to £371 a week.
  • nannytone_2
    nannytone_2 Posts: 12,948 Forumite
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    you can't claim both SDP and carers premium, because in order to get the premium, you would need to claim CA and that would disallow the SDP
  • bigbill
    bigbill Posts: 928 Forumite
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    nannytone wrote: »
    you can't claim both SDP and carers premium, because in order to get the premium, you would need to claim CA and that would disallow the SDP


    The SDP is only lost if carers allowance is actually paid UNDERLYING does not stop the SDP being paid, millions of people claim underlying simply to gain the additional carer premium/s
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