incapacity benefit and carers allowance

breezerockz

Hi All

I have M.E and have been claiming IB for a good few years now.

i have been advised to claim for carers allowance as i look after my mother who needs someone aound most of the time.

my worry is that i end up with less money?

the main reason i was advised was so i could claim housing benefit so mother and i could afford rent on a better house to stay in (the rent on where we need to move too is more than here)
she gets houseing benefit.

am very confused as don't understand what the website actually means when it says you can't claim both IB and Cares, but can make a claim for carers for help with houseing benefit.

anyone had similar situation?

sorry if doesn't make alot of sense.

thanks for help in advance.

munchings-n-crunchings

Hello,

In order to claim Carers Allowance for caring for someone, that person needs to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit.
In this case it's

• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate for personal care
• Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension

Are you, or your mother in receipt of one of these?

Munchie

breezerockz

hi yes my mother gets middle rate fo personal care dla.
and housing benefit and income support.

i only get incapacity benefit. (sounds like im being greedy trying to get more,lol.)

sunnyone

breezerockz wrote: »

hi yes my mother gets middle rate fo personal care dla.
and housing benefit and income support.

i only get incapacity benefit. (sounds like im being greedy trying to get more,lol.)

It sounds as though you can claim carers allowance but not be payed it but an extra amount that will help you in other ways.

Does your mum recieve the IS and its extra premiums for being disbled?

sorry edit, I missed something in the previous post where you replied to what I going to post.

Yes it could be right that ypou both would be better off so long as you care for your mum more than 35 hours per week and careing can mean many things that dont go against you being on IB.



sunny

breezerockz

i think my mum does get the IS plus other premiums.

im worried about how much the extra amount to help in other ways is.

was told should get the £115 housing, but can't afford to get less than i do.

all seems so complicated. when you don't know what to look for.

i do care for her almost all the time. far more than 35 hours a week.

thanks for replies

[Deleted User]

carers and i/b are overlapping benefits,but having an underlying entitlement to c/a may passport you to other additional benefits e.g. additional housing benefit

breezerockz

woodbine wrote: »

carers and i/b are overlapping benefits,but having an underlying entitlement to c/a may passport you to other additional benefits e.g. additional housing benefit

thanks, the housing benefit is the one i hope to get hold of.