Income Support Carers Allowance Question

Boppy_2

I am in receipt of Income Support for myself and my husband due to illness, I also receive DLA (high care, low mobility) my husband is obviously my carer, can he claim carers allowance and do they take away income support if you do claim carers?

We don't want to be worse off than we are but he is my carer so to be recognised as such would be good if that makes sense.

zappster1966

Yes he can claim Carer's Allowance, yes they'll take it off your Income Support. But they'll also give you "carer premium" with your Income Support, which is an extra £27.75 pw ... so you should be better off by that amount, overall.

Here's a wee link with further info about Carer's Allowance.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/MoneyMatters/DG_10012522

bigbill

Backdate it three months.

Boppy_2

So the carers allowance would be deducted from the £94.95 would we still get the other premiums that we get as well as the carers premium? It's all so confusing, at present we get £94.95 income support and then 2 premiums amounting to £55 on top of that.

[Deleted User]

Boppy wrote: »

So the carers allowance would be deducted from the £94.95 would we still get the other premiums that we get as well as the carers premium? It's all so confusing, at present we get £94.95 income support and then 2 premiums amounting to £55 on top of that.

The carers premium will be in addition to anything you are getting now,there is only one exception to that in general and thats if you both get dla mid rate or high rate care and claim severe disability premium,you lose that if carers is claimed and its worth double carers premium

anguk

I'm confused. My OH gets incapacity benefit that is topped up with income support, when I started receiving Carers Allowance they took the full amount that I get off his benefits and he doesn't get the carers premium? So we aren't better off at all with me claiming carers allowance, we just receive the same amount in total as we did before.

Boppy_2

anguk wrote: »

I'm confused. My OH gets incapacity benefit that is topped up with income support, when I started receiving Carers Allowance they took the full amount that I get off his benefits and he doesn't get the carers premium? So we aren't better off at all with me claiming carers allowance, we just receive the same amount in total as we did before.

I'm sure I got told that too, it's all so confusing.

ellie101

hello - you should get more. I get carers and the income support top-up (which isn't the full amount as I have some other savings).

But there are rules which means whatever you get could affect the other person's pension credits and various things.

Best people I found to speak to were the helpline on this website:

http://www.carersuk.org/Home

Only open certain hours though. Department and work of pensions actually gave me the wrong advice... whereas the advisor on the site above seemed to know what they were talking about. They will ask for full details of your savings/benefits etc that you and the person you are caring about get. But I'm fairly sure that you'll get more if you claim carers and the top-up, one way or another.

Edit: Here is the number, bit hard to find: Call freephone 0808 808 7777
Opening times : CarersLine is only open Wednesday and Thursday between 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm

Boppy_2

ellie101 wrote: »

hello - you should get more. I get carers and the income support top-up (which isn't the full amount as I have some other savings).

But there are rules which means whatever you get could affect the other person's pension credits and various things.

Best people I found to speak to were the helpline on this website:

http://www.carersuk.org/Home

Only open certain hours though. Department and work of pensions actually gave me the wrong advice... whereas the advisor on the site above seemed to know what they were talking about. They will ask for full details of your savings/benefits etc that you and the person you are caring about get. But I'm fairly sure that you'll get more if you claim carers and the top-up, one way or another.

Thank you very much, I'll get my husband to give them a ring.