Question about carers allowance?

justmel

My husband was advised to claim carers allowance,i get the qualifying DLA and understand that money from my income support will be deducted because i get the premium but we were assured that even after that we will be better off.

My question is about backpay,it asks what date you wish to claim carers from so he put todays date and later on in the form answered questions that will explain that he has been my carer for years-we never claimed before because we believed we would be worse off.

It says they can backpay up to 3 months but i am confused,if they backpay £53.10 per week for that long i will owe income support a lot of money! So would they just backpay the amount that we would have been better off if you see what i mean?

On the phone the guy said we will be better off by about £25 ish a week,would they backpay that or ignore backpay completely?

A friend in the same situation said they only back paid her from the date they recieved her claim? I am ver confused,my husband has been my carer for more than 3 months but i just don't understand,can anyone help please?

di3004

justmel wrote: »

My husband was advised to claim carers allowance,i get the qualifying DLA and understand that money from my income support will be deducted because i get the premium but we were assured that even after that we will be better off.

My question is about backpay,it asks what date you wish to claim carers from so he put todays date and later on in the form answered questions that will explain that he has been my carer for years-we never claimed before because we believed we would be worse off.

It says they can backpay up to 3 months but i am confused,if they backpay £53.10 per week for that long i will owe income support a lot of money! So would they just backpay the amount that we would have been better off if you see what i mean?

On the phone the guy said we will be better off by about £25 ish a week,would they backpay that or ignore backpay completely?

A friend in the same situation said they only back paid her from the date they recieved her claim? I am ver confused,my husband has been my carer for more than 3 months but i just don't understand,can anyone help please?

Hi there

I may be wrong but I believe you will be better off, for instance, you may be deducted a little but regain more on top again if on CA.

I'm sure this will be confirmed to you by others who knows how this works out.

I am a full time carer for my son with autism, my hubby lost his job in Dec 2008, he gets paid JSA, so much is deducted, then there is a CA premium added on top, its a little more than income support alone, but please wait for other posts before taking my word for it good luck.;)

CharlA

Dont worry about it put the claim in for carers dated for 3 months ago they will then make a decision and write to you telling you if you have been awarded dla and a date that you will recieve payment (around a month later in my case) then they will look at how much Income support you have recieved then deduct that from the carers allowance then they work out home much income support disability premium you are due and times that by the 3 months and pay that to you in backpay, I got just under £500 back 4 weeks before last christmas!!!!

justmel

Thankyou i think i need to stop worrying so much! xx