Can a husband & wife claim Attendance Allowance?

grummps

margaretclare wrote: »

That means means-testing. Whatever it is, we do NOT qualify for means-tested benefits, thank goodness, which is why AA is so useful. We pay tax on the rest of our income but not on AA.

Yes it is means testing, but I was just pointing out that if the poster's dad did get an AA award their guaranteed minimum income would shoot up from £250.50 to nearly £400 a week!!

If they are already at that level with their current income, fine, it would make no difference. But quite a lot of people don't realise what the effect of having two AA awards can mean!

One award of AA doesn't make much of a difference but with two awards it boosts their income.

grummps

margaretclare wrote: »

I think this would not apply to us. Although neither of us is working and earning any longer, we do each have an income - full state pension, SERPS (what's now called S2P) and other income based on our former careers. I think that this would put us outside the limit for CA, because I suspect from what you say that means-testing would come into effect.

Might I suggest that you read the DWP website regarding CA and GPC.

I feel that you are being a little niave in your outlook.

Try the turn 2 us website and put your details in.

Pensions etc are not treated as income for CA purposes.

margaretclare

No, I am not being naive. I've been down this road before, as far back as pension credit 'pick it up, it's yours' advertising. I've had people telling me they couldn't believe we weren't entitled, even after we'd done the sums more than once!

I've just been on the phone to the DirectGov site where you can apply for CA. Their site says 'earnings' of more than £100 a week:


"You cannot get Carer's Allowance if you earn more than £100 a week after we have taken some expenses into account"



but state retirement pension is more than £100 a week, and they have just clarified that by phone.

And I still can't find out what is GPC.

xylophone

GPC - Guarantee Pension Credit?
http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/moneyandlegal/carersbenefits/Pages/CarersAllowance.aspx

grummps

margaretclare wrote: »

No, I am not being naive. I've been down this road before, as far back as pension credit 'pick it up, it's yours' advertising. I've had people telling me they couldn't believe we weren't entitled, even after we'd done the sums more than once!

I've just been on the phone to the DirectGov site where you can apply for CA. Their site says 'earnings' of more than £100 a week:


"You cannot get Carer's Allowance if you earn more than £100 a week after we have taken some expenses into account"



but state retirement pension is more than £100 a week, and they have just clarified that by phone.

And I still can't find out what is GPC.

State Retirement Pension is not treated as earnings for CA purposes. Otherwise no pensioner who gets just the basic pension would qualify, but 1'000's actually do!!

GPC - Guaranteed Pension Credit.

margaretclare

grummps wrote: »

State Retirement Pension is not treated as earnings for CA purposes.

Well, that's different from what I've been told on the phone from DirectGov!

GPC - Guaranteed Pension Credit.

Thanks for the explanation. We do not qualify for any form of pension credit, that's why I'd never heard of it.

xylophone

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Caringforsomeone/DG_10012525
Please note, when looking at your income, Carers Allowance do not count Occupational or Private Pensions as earnings.

State Pension is a benefit and taken into account as explained here.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/MoneyMatters/DG_10012529
See also http://www.nhs.uk/CarersDirect/moneyandlegal/carersbenefits/Pages/CarersAllowance.aspx
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Caringforsomeone/DG_10012525

Cpt.Scarlet

margaretclare wrote: »

Well, that's different from what I've been told on the phone from DirectGov!

Whilst a State Pension is not counted as income for Carers Allowance, the answer is misleading as they are overlapping benefits, so you will only be paid the one with the higher value e.g. the pension.

grummps

margaretclare wrote: »

Well, that's different from what I've been told on the phone from DirectGov!




Thanks for the explanation. We do not qualify for any form of pension credit, that's why I'd never heard of it.

Taken from 'Carers UK' website

Occupational or personal pensions do not count as earnings and you can be paid Carer’s Allowance in addition to these. If you do receive taxable income such as occupational or private pension or part-time earnings, you should inform the tax office about your Carer's Allowance. This is because Carer's Allowance is a taxable benefit.

margaretclare

Capt. Scarlet, thanks for this clarification. That's what the guy said on the phone, that they are overlapping benefits. How, then, can this statement be true: "State Retirement Pension is not treated as earnings for CA purposes. Otherwise no pensioner who gets just the basic pension would qualify, but 1'000's actually do!" - see post # 26 above.

Now we hear that CA is taxable, post # 30 above. Thanks a lot. My tax affairs are complicated enough what with 3 different annuity payments plus married people's allowance split between us. I wouldn't want to cause any more complications or end up paying more tax, so it's not worth bothering with.

So just to make sure I have it all straight: SRP is a benefit as is CA. Both are taxable.

AA is not taxable and does not form an 'overlapping' benefit with SRP. Nor is it means-testable, so GPS need not necessarily come into the equation at all.