Carers allowance-supply teaching

weanie

Hi
I posted before but although I received a reply - not an exact answer. does anyone have experience of claiming CA and doing the odd bit of supply? I do know what the rates are and what the allowed earnings are on a weekly and monthly basis but event the telephone advisors at CA say each situation is dealth with in isolation by a decision maker.
Does anyone have any experience of claiming CA consistently each week/month and also earning a varying part time wage. Has a total period been observed and the varying wages averaged out?
Many thanks

[Deleted User]

For any week you earn in excess of £95(after certain deductions)then you are not allowed to claim CA,if your earnings vary then you will have to send in your payslip(s)either weekly or monthly(whichever you are paid),they wont for example average your wages of 12 months,seems unfair i know..

daska

Interesting, that's not what they told me when I rang about DH's earnings. He gets paid by contract (or used to, before he started chemo and could work). When I explained he'd get x coming in at end of March but that his total income for the year would be y they advised that as his average over the period he claimed for was under £95 it was ok.

[Deleted User]

thats interesting as its not how i`ve seen the rules before,after all other benefits are affected on a week to week basis where applicable(or month to month depending how you are paid),after all a period over which you claim could be anything from one week to 20 years???

mum2one

I'm on IS and do ocassional work mystery shopping, as my income is varied I send in the slips when I get paid then that sum of money goes to the week that it relates to.

As for Carers allowance, we've just been down that line with dad, as he's mums carer, as he gets state pension and a small private pension he's not entitled to money but gets the "benefits" assosiated with it.

Regarding your situation, anywhere that relates to benefits unless its based on Job seekers and NI (thats the exception to the rule), then you are based on a week by week basis.

I saw your thread yesterday and asked a friend who was/is in the same situation shes a carer for her son, she was working in a jewellers part time, originally on a 8hr contract, but did overtime over christmas period, when her husband was at home meaning her child was looked after, when she sent her wage slips in she lost the carers allowance for the weeks that she earned over the set amount. (This was 1 yr ago).


(Please don't take an offence, a thought I had)
If it was me, the question I would ask - if my income went over xx for a certain number of weeks does that affect me claiming carers allowance at all, as they may assume with you working and earning xx money and xx hrs (teaching gets paid more than working in a jewellers), they may say that your away too many hours.

weanie

Thanks for the useful replies - the information from the phone-line advice people is not conclusive really and each case seems to be judged separately. A huge difficulty is that you cannot acquire definitive advice and prepare for it accordingly - just react to a situation. This is an area of C Allowance claiming which has to be addressed along with the bigger picture. This is something to flag up via Carers UK or by writing to MP etc. I will do this and urge others to do teh same if they share my reflection upon this matter.
woodbine - it is unfair and ridiculous for someone to go a penny over an agreed amount and then lose the entire amount isn't it? I think you have indicated agreement here.
It is true that the rate for teaching is higher than some other tasks. If teaching is done properly and professionally, then there is a great deal more time dedicated to each hour claimed with preparation and marking and it is expected to arrive ahead of your appointed time and leave some time afterwards. Maybe everyone does not do this - but it in my opinion it is appropriate.
As for earning an amount which could indicate the claimant is no longer in need of C Allowance, the factor really is whether or not you can honestly say as a carer that you are doing the 35 hours each week. I suppose some highly paid professionals could earn the weekly allowance in only one hour of work but the threshold amount does not relate to hourly rate just to a total earned.
Anyway - perhaps more will be revealed when others add their personal experiences of work/claiming.
Thanks all.

[Deleted User]

Remember that the 35 hours of care can include many things including just watching over someone to ensure they remain safe,also re post #5 pension and CA are overlapping benefits