Quick query re: IB and Carer's Allowance

earthmother

Is it new, or has it always been, that my CA will affect my husband's IB?


My husband has been in receipt of IB for over 9 years now, I have been receiving CA for him for that time, and we have always advised all benefit departments of all benefits we receive.

He recently had a long-overdue IB review (they've effectively ignored him for the last 5 years - no sicknotes, no reviews, nothing).

I checked the bank today, and his IB payment was almost £85 short :eek: When he rang to query this, he was told it was because I received CA for him. They wouldn't discuss it any further or answer any queries when he pointed out that this had always been the case, but just said that a letter should come out soon.

Now we are both worried that this is some sort of error on their part and that we'll be expected to pay back some huge sum we apparently should never have had.

Can anyone set our minds at rest?

dmg24

Do you claim IS also? Is it the IS that was short?

earthmother

No, there is no IS on the claim - we did apply a few years ago, but were refused as we were told the IB was meeting the minimum income requirements.

dmg24

So how much IB were you receiving, and how much did you receive this time?

krisskross

Does your husband receive DLA?

dmg24

krisskross wrote: »

Does your husband receive DLA?

He must be receiving MRC or HRC - the OP's CA claim does not appear to be in question.

dmg24

Do you have children, and if so, how old are they?

I am guessing that you should not have been receiving the Dependents Addition.

earthmother

Thanks for your queries -

The IB was £321.20, but this payment was £236.40.

Yes, my husband gets HR mobility and MR care (recently downgraded from HR).

And, yes, we have three children - 4.5, 7 and almost 10.

Robbie64

Does your husband get an increase in his Incapacity Benefit (an adult dependency increase) for you? If he does then your Carers Allowance would either reduce (by the amount of Carers Allowance) or stop (if CA is higher than this amount) this additional payment.

The current amount of an adult dependency increase for someone on long term Incapacity Benefit is £53.10 per week. The current rate of Carers Allowance is £53.90 which means it would stop any payment of adult dependency increase. The effect (assuming this additional amount is in payment) would be to reduce Incapacity Benefit by £53.10 per week.

If he does not receive an adult dependency increase in his Incapacity Benefit then this will not be the reason for the reduction.

earthmother

Thank you Robbie - I can't find this year's letter, but the one before had 'money for spouse/civil partner/children/other people' on it, and the make-up of the claim hasn't changed, so that hopefully explains the why.

Now as to the 'when' - should they always have been discounting my CA then? Because if they should, I'm really worried about how much they'll want back, how and when.

Robbie64

First you need to find out whether it is an adult dependency increase and not a child dependency increase as your CA would make no difference to the latter. If your husband was claiming Incapacity Benefit prior to 06/04/03 then he may be getting a child dependency increase. If so, this should continue to be paid.

If it is an adult dependency increase then it should have ceased when Carer's Allowance started to be paid. There are many people receiving Incapacity Benefit who don't realise this and genuinely do not know that they have to inform the DWP when their carer (if that is the person they get the adult dependency increase for) begins to get Carer's Allowance. That said, Carer's Allowance Unit are supposed to inform the local benefit office that CA has been claimed so that the adult dependency increase in IB stops and CA can be paid.