can you receive job seekers allowence AND carers allowence at same time?

DEBTMONKEY1A

Hello all,

Other 1/2 is on DLA middle rate care & low mobility & ESA, I'm on SSP at the mo.If my circumstances change in the future (I.E i'm fired!) can I receive JSA and also carers allowence (applied a few days back) at the same time?

How would the job centre be with the fact I get carers? Would I get a lot of hassle to find work? Or given that I am a carer would I need to claim ESA?

Sorry, I know I've posted a lot recently but my heads a bit messed up what with looking after g/f, etc..

lemonjelly

Yes you can.

You may be better off claiming carers allowance & income support, as you then wouldn't have to sign on on a regular basis.

Or, you could claim CA & partner would recieve an increase in ESA.

Or partner could withdraw ESA claim & you claim IS & CA.

All the above would mean you'd get full hb&ctb.

CA adds an additional amount to the total ESA/IS/JSA you are entitled to.

Personally I'd be inclined to go for one of the options other than JSA & CA, as being available for & seeking work is kind of contradicted by the fact that you provide at least 35 hours per week care to your partner.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Thanks lemonjelly (love that!) sorry to be thick but I thought income support doesn't exist anymore? Do you mean for me to claim ESA instead of the Income support??

Also..the extra bit you mentioned in relation to carers allowence-assume you mean carers premium??

lemonjelly

Yes, the additional amount is the carers premium.

IS still exists. It is being phased out, very slowly. However the last people to be affected by the phase out will be carers. The focus currently is on people claiming incapacity. Over the next few years it'll be removed from lone parents.

I'd expect that carers will get a much larger amount of CA in the future, or they'll keep IS just for carers.

Regardless, IS still exists (though jobcentre will probably try to promote that you claim ESA rather than IS. That said, your right is to IS & if you stood your ground they'd let you.)

DEBTMONKEY1A

Thanks for your help!

bigbill

Have you claimed carers allowance while your on basic SSP?

DEBTMONKEY1A

Hi bigbill-yes I have. Am on SSP & signed off for a few weeks. No company sick pay-just the £79-15.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Bigbill.....any reason why you ask about the SSP?

bigbill

Only to make people aware that Carers Allowance at £53.10 CAN be claimed when you have SSP at £79 weekly.

Your fine as you have already done it so I did not bother replying.