Carers allowance and ESA?

mcconnell

Hi,

I am currently receiving both income related and contribution based ESA. The contribution based is less than the income related. I have tried to claim carers allowance for a family member and was told a few months ago that I was entitled to it and now I got a letter today to say it had been stopped because of my contribution based ESA. Can anyone shed any light on this please?

anmarj

do you have the underlying entitlement to carers then? It could be that the ESA (cont) is an overlapping benefit which prevents carers being paid as the ESA is more than the carers allowance. but the letter should tell you.

benjo

they are overlapping benefits. You can be can have an underlying entitlement to CA yet receive no actual payment though.

NASA_2

ESA(C) usually takes precedence over Carers Allowance. You cant be paid both at the same time and the higher one (ESA(C) normally) gets paid. The underlying Carers Allowance means entitlement to the Carers Premium on ESA(IR) though.