Carers Allowance and expenses

Mr_Falling_Star

Can anyone help?

Ny wife claims Carers Allowance for looking after our Daughter. She also works, normally this is not a problem but she did a few extra hours to cover someones shift and thus has gone over the £100 pw limit.

We have had a letter from CA saying to send in some wageslips, now for doing that extra few hours of work she is going to lose out.

There is a space on the form to declare any expenses. Well we paid £10 to a neighbour (not a registered childminder) to look after DD on a Inset day plus it costs £10pw week petrol to get to work

Are these allowable expenese?

Thanks

DX2

Work and earnings

You cannot get Carer's Allowance if you earn more than £100 a week after money has been taken off to allow for your expenses.
Expenses that are allowed are for things like:

• some National Insurance (NI) contributions
• Income Tax
• half of any money you pay towards personal or occupational pension schemes
• other expenses you have to pay because they are a necessary part of your job

After allowing for these things, you are allowed up to half the rest of the money you earn to help meet the cost of paying someone else (but not a close relative) to look after a child or children, or the person you look after, while you are at work.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/MoneyMatters/CarersAllowance/DG_10012525

Vader123

Ny wife claims Carers Allowance for looking after our Daughter. She also works, normally this is not a problem but she did a few extra hours to cover someones shift and thus has gone over the £100 pw limit.

How many hours does your wife normally work?

You normally need to look after someone for 35 hours a week to claim CA.

We have had a letter from CA saying to send in some wageslips, now for doing that extra few hours of work she is going to lose out.

Can you explain how she is going to "lose out" ?

Clearly you have a backup to provide care (your neighbour), plus your wife earned extra income that week.

You paid a neighbour £10 for a days care. Can your wife not work more hours and pay the £10 a day? that way the family will not "lose out" and actually "win"?

You could declare the £10 you paid, but what does the nieghbour do? She will have to declare it if on benefits (though not a problem as its probably a disregard).

Vader

Mr_Falling_Star

Well I have read that and I would say they the £10 per week petrol is a necessary part of my missus job?

DX2

Vader123 wrote: »

How many hours does your wife normally work?

You normally need to look after someone for 35 hours a week to claim CA.



Can you explain how she is going to "lose out" ?

Not so much as to how many hours you work, you can work and claim CA at the same time as long as you do not earn over £100 per week. If you go over the £100 per week you lose your entitlement to CA.

Vader123

DX2 wrote: »

Not so much as to how many hours you work, you can work and claim CA at the same time as long as you do not earn over £100 per week. If you go over the £100 per week you lose your entitlement to CA.

I agree.

So given her income was more that week (because of the increased hours), how will she "lose out".

Thats my question.

Vader

DX2

Mr_Falling_Star wrote: »

Well I have read that and I would say they the £10 per week petrol is a necessary part of my missus job?

Honestly don't know, could she do her job via public transport? Would it be much cheaper if she did use public transport?

DX2

Vader123 wrote: »

I agree.

So given her income was more that week (because of the increased hours), how will she "lose out".

Thats my question.

Vader

I suppose it depends how much more her wages were. If she is just £20 over then she will lose the other £30 odd from CA.

Mr_Falling_Star

Vader123 wrote: »

How many hours does your wife normally work?

You normally need to look after someone for 35 hours a week to claim CA.



Can you explain how she is going to "lose out" ?

Clearly you have a backup to provide care (your neighbour), plus your wife earned extra income that week.

You paid a neighbour £10 for a days care. Can your wife not work more hours and pay the £10 a day? that way the family will not "lose out" and actually "win"?

You could declare the £10 you paid, but what does the nieghbour do? She will have to declare it if on benefits (though not a problem as its probably a disregard).

Vader

My wife works sixteen hours per week which normally comes in at way under £100 (the earnings threshold). However because she worked extra her wages are £425 per four weeks. However it says on the form that any "expenses that you have to pay because you are working". My question is, does this include Petrol and childcare for a friend.

My family will lose out because we could be looking at losing the Carers allowance for these weeks?

Its worth pointing out that I work full time and so does my neighbour

[Deleted User]

Vader123 wrote: »

I agree.

So given her income was more that week (because of the increased hours), how will she "lose out".

Thats my question.

Vader

at NMW she would need to have worked around 8 extra hours to replace CA,if she only worked 7 hours then she starts to lose out.
Its a shame they cant average the hours out over a month,in the name of "fairness"

Mr_Falling_Star

DX2 wrote: »

I suppose it depends how much more her wages were. If she is just £20 over then she will lose the other £30 odd from CA.

Ah right so its not just a straight"your not getting anything" if you go over the £100?