Need help/advice with carers allowance

XxStephxX

Im hoping some one here can help me a bit as im a bit confused by carers allowance.

Im currently getting the higher rate for personal care for my son and have recently been told i can now claim carers allowance but have also heard that you would lose money from other benefits or entitlements.

If this is the case would i not be any better off by claiming carers allowance? Or am i completely misreading everything?

At present my partner is claiming income based job seekers which is our main source of income, so would we lose money off that to claim carers allowance?

Arghhh this is so confusing! Please can some one help me figure this out!:eek:

Also is there anyone else i should be informing that i am now claiming disability for my son ie tax credits etc?

Sorry for all the questions this is all new to me!

System

CA may affect other benefits as it is taxable and you should inform tax credits as they may increase although in our case it was only by £2 pcm. there's also the family fund who can help with other things once a year ie holiday vouchers/washing machine/games [Wii/PlayStation ]etc.

nlj1520

Try to get some advice from Citizen's Advice Bureau? They should understand the interaction of all the different benefits. If your son has a 'medical social worker' (which he would have had if he was under a paedeatrician years ago, but that role may have gone with the cuts) they should know all about this too. If he is too old for a paediatrician, ask your GP for a referal to the social work team who can help with this via their finance department. This referal can also be useful for other things....in some cases an occupational health visit to look at safety in the home can be helpful.
Or if there is a charity that covers your sons condition they may also be able to offer specialist advice.
All these sources of information are free.
Good luck.

Anubis_2

If you claim CA, your first class stamp will be paid. It affects other benefits as it is classed as income, so, if you get more than 55.00 pw in other benefits, you may have an underlying entitlement, but you should also get the carers premium of about 31.00 depending in the benefits you get now.

So, essentially, you will be about 31.00 better off ( if any current benefit you claim allows for the premium) and you will ave your stamp paid.

If your OH is claiming JSA for the both of you, from what I can see the carers premium will be added, so in effect, this is how they will work it out:

105.95 couple JSA
MINUS 55.55 Carers Allowance ( which you will get paid separately, bringing the total back up to 105.95)
PLUS. 31 carers premium
PLUS disabled child premiums ( which you should already get, as you are on high care, I think its about 53 or so for a child, plus enhanced disability of 23
or so for the child)
Plus any child tax credits.

Give the Benefits Enquiry Line a ring, who are there to advise about disability benefits. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/Introductiontofinancialsupport/DG_065148

XxStephxX

Anubis wrote: »

If you claim CA, your first class stamp will be paid. It affects other benefits as it is classed as income, so, if you get more than 55.00 pw in other benefits, you may have an underlying entitlement, but you should also get the carers premium of about 31.00 depending in the benefits you get now.

So, essentially, you will be about 31.00 better off ( if any current benefit you claim allows for the premium) and you will ave your stamp paid.

If your OH is claiming JSA for the both of you, from what I can see the carers premium will be added, so in effect, this is how they will work it out:

105.95 couple JSA
MINUS 55.55 Carers Allowance ( which you will get paid separately, bringing the total back up to 105.95)
PLUS. 31 carers premium
PLUS disabled child premiums ( which you should already get, as you are on high care, I think its about 53 or so for a child, plus enhanced disability of 23
or so for the child)
Plus any child tax credits.

Give the Benefits Enquiry Line a ring, who are there to advise about disability benefits. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport/Introductiontofinancialsupport/DG_065148

Thank you very much for this information, what is disabled child premiums? Im not sure if are getting that!

I have asked his day nurse for some information regarding benefits but she s not too sure of all the ins and outs.

Im very grateful for all your information!:T i think i shall be making a few phone calls tomorrow am!

Anubis_2

Ring the BEL as I said as they know all the ins and outs. I am not sure if you can change your current claim to IS ( you claim instead of your partner for you, your partner and child)

I am pretty sure you should be getting disabled child premiums but the BEL will be able to clarify as I am unsure what the pre requisites are.