Housing Benefit and Carers Allowance

wardie2437

Hi there,

Just a quick question. Will my award of Carers Allowance of £53.90 per week affect my Housing Benefit?

What's happened is we have our LHA and CT and IS sorted out but we're still waiting for the carers allowance to come through, this was due to my former employers unable to generate a P45 for me until the next payroll on 26th May.

We have letters confirming the amounts we're receiving but will this be affected when carers allowance is finally paid?

Sorry if this sounds a bit confusing

thanks

KeaneFan10

Hi ...Yes Carers allowance is classed as income when working out housing benefit so it will count towards when working out your claim

wardie2437

great - thanks for your advice

wardie2437

So with 65% being taken off for housing benefit and 20% towards council tax - I will be left with £8.08 per week?
I just need to work out how much I get to budget.

wardie2437

but does it affect income support as well?

fluffymovie

You need to make sure that IS take your CA into account. They will normally adjust your payment but as long as you remain entitled to IS, your LHA will not change.

If your IS stops, the council will need to assess your claim using all your income including your Carer's. Being in receipt of CA does mean that you are awarded a carer premium tho so make sure that they know as soon as you can!

wardie2437

all seems confusing to me. I'll have to make a few phone calls. I'll probably end up being worse off no doubt :-(

wardie2437

Right for the record - for anyone in this situation...
CA - will be taken off your IS BUT then a £30 premium will be added.
So in the end you should get your IS minus £53.90 + £30 (so what IS are doing is just taking away £23.90)
But then you still get your full CA (£53.90) but from a different source.
Therefore you are £120 per month better off (£30 per week).
This does not affect your LHA and CTB.
Sounds confusing - it was confusing enough trying to word this right !!!

wardie2437

The £30 IS add on after they take away the £53.90 is a called a "carers premium"

dee72_2

hi i recently as a single parent started claiming carers allowance for being carer for my uncle
prior to this was just on child tax credit, income support, housing benefit and coucil tax benefit.

your income support level personal allowance would be £65.45 and carers premium of £30.05 total personal allowance £95.50 - careers allowance =you recieve diffence as income support income earnings top up

if not working take proof income support receipt and will still get same housing allowance was what happened in my case

hope this helps