Lone Parent IS, Carer's Premium?

Oldernotwiser

sacapuntas wrote: »

Thank you for that information. I didn't realize you had to close the tax credits claim and start over. Do you know whether that takes a long time?
?

So, were you planning to still claim as a couple?

sacapuntas

No, I thought I would be able to call and notify them of a change in circumstances and they would just remove him from the claim, but I'm calling on Monday morning to request a new claim pack. I'm having to do the same with child benefit since it was originally in his name, so I'm writing a cover letter to go with each to explain the situation.

epitome

sacapuntas wrote: »

I receive carer's allowance for caring for my husband. We are splitting, but his new flat is very close to the family home. So long as we remain civil to one another, it is preferable for both of us that I continue to be his carer. Our children are both under 7, so I plan on applying for Income Support once he has moved out. My questions are:

1) The base rate for IS is £67.50. Will I be eligible for the lone parent premium of £17.40? I have no savings, assets, property, etc. (we rent).

2) Will I be eligible for the carer premium of £31?

3) If I am eligible for the carer premium, will that replace my £55.55/week Carer's Allowance, or be in addition to it?

4) If I am eligible for both premiums, are you allowed to elect not to take the carer's premium and instead continue receiving CA, as the rate is higher? I'm guessing not!

5) Is there anything else I need to know or have got horribly wrong?

Many thanks in advance.

My response to your question is as follows

You should inform Carers Allowance of the change of circumstances, but that you are still his carer....this will mean your entitlement to carers allowance will remain intact, and entitle you to claim IS as a carer in reciept of CA.

If your CA stops you will not be able to get IS until you either

• re start your CA & start to receive payment of CA
• Start to receive Child benefit in your name for the child under 7

It does not matter that you have applied for child benefit in your name. You will not receive IS as a LP until you start to get CB in your name. Sometime next year IS as a LP will be going down to children under 5, if a parliament bill gets passed. This does stop you from putting in a claim for IS as a LP but they will not pay you on that claim until your CB gets paid to you. As claims for CB can take months and months and months to get sorted out it is not uncommon for the IS claim to be stopped after say 6 weeks because there is still no paid entitlement to CB.

My advice to you, if you find your CA is stopped, is to claim JSA until either your CB/CA gets sorted, then switch to IS

epitome

monkeymouth wrote: »

I appreciate that you are separating, but you do seem to be more interested in keeping hold of the Carers Allowance than being his carer!

And you say that you will carry out 5 hours of caring x 7 days a week. Are you sure that is correct? Given that you say you will pop in in a morning and in the evening.

Caring can also be the time taken going shopping for the person, she could ask the Benefit Enquiry line "What constitutes caring?"

bobajob_1966

monkeymouth wrote: »

Hi, I have just checked this myself on the net.

Caring seems to include talking to someone on the telephone, even down to to the time taken to prepare a meal even if that meal was also prepared for the rest of the family!!

To be honest that is ridiculous in my opinion as caring should mean caring as in physically looking after someone and being extra time spent.

I was shocked to read that definition. It also includes time spent in your own home in carrying out any work such as washing, ironing, hoovering etc if that person comes to stay for a few hours! You can no doubt see what that means - doing all of the normal household chores that would be done anyhow, but if grandad comes for tea and then goes back home, the claimant will claim that all of that time spent is caring!!!

Another massive loophole that is being exploited that needs closing asap!!!

andyandflo anyone?

epitome

monkeymouth wrote: »

Hi, I have just checked this myself on the net.

Caring seems to include talking to someone on the telephone, even down to to the time taken to prepare a meal even if that meal was also prepared for the rest of the family!!

To be honest that is ridiculous in my opinion as caring should mean caring as in physically looking after someone and being extra time spent.

I was shocked to read that definition. It also includes time spent in your own home in carrying out any work such as washing, ironing, hoovering etc if that person comes to stay for a few hours! You can no doubt see what that means - doing all of the normal household chores that would be done anyhow, but if grandad comes for tea and then goes back home, the claimant will claim that all of that time spent is caring!!!

Another massive loophole that is being exploited that needs closing asap!!!

Or better still all this caring should just be transferred onto the NHS and the care support work industry and cost us billions of pounds to replace a friend/family member who will do it for £31 a week. Yeah right!

bobajob_1966

monkeymouth wrote: »

Errrr not me.

Slipped up there, or have you forgotten your favourite phrase?

Oldernotwiser

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

andyandflo anyone?

Quite possibly; unfortunately I actually agree with what he's posted.:o

bobajob_1966

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Quite possibly; unfortunately I actually agree with what he's posted.:o

I often did, but as soon as I realised it was him I would stop reading. Shame really, could have been a valuable contributor, instead he's just ... well, best not say it outloud!

epitome

monkeymouth wrote: »

I wonder if I could claim CA even though he lives 300+ miles away and I only see him for about 10 days every 6 weeks.
I damn well hope not, as that is certainly stretching what caring actually means!!

Yes that would stretch it, and I don't know. But £31 - £55 pw is not a lot for the average carer who does maybe go and collect granddad from his home and bring him over for family dinner so he doesn't have to have meals on wheels at great expense to the state, who cleans his house when they are there and gets some grocery shopping done for him. etc etc