Carers allowance and working?

shortdog

Hi
After extensive googling, I am still no more knowledgeable, so tought I'd ask the wonderful people here for help:D

I currently recieve carers allowance, for looking after my disabled son (who recieves DLA high rate care) - he's 6. I've been unexpectedly offered a job, which is perfect for me - it's caretaker of a museum, which is literally next door to my house. No travelling expenses, no hassle, it's a nice, easy job, no childcare costs - my son is home-educated, and would either come with me, play in the garden, or stay at home with my partner when he's not at work, and my eldest is 10, so more than capable of being in the house after school with me just next door. If I decide to go for the job, it's mine, due to the convenience of the bosses having a keyholder living next door.

However, while the job is perfect for me, and won't cause much hassle, I'm weighing up the financial implications of it. I know the WTC would stop if I took the job (Currently about £30 a week), and we'd possibly lose a little bit of CTC, but I can't work out if I'd still get carers allowance. The job would be 20 hours every second week (Friday - Wednesday, 4 hours a day), for 6 months of the year. At minimum wage, thats just over £120/week, every second week.

I would love to take the job, I've not worked since my son was born, and it's a long time to be out of work, and the extra money would be very handy, but, if I lose my carers allowance, we'd be worse off, which I can't afford.:(

Does anyone know how it would work? I know you can only earn £100/week after deductions to get carers allowance, but with it only being fortnightly, and only for 6 months each year, I haven't got a clue!

Thanks for any help:D

nannytone_2

you are allowed to earn £100 a week without carers allowance being afected.

there are expenses that you can deduct, but youve said there would be no expenses, so you dont need to worry about that

kingfisherblue

First, would your employer allow your disabled child to be with you whilst you are at work? How could you care for him, home educate, and work at the same time? If he is receiving HRC, his care needs will be quiite substantial both day and night - do you have the energy? I sometimes sleep in the day due to being up so frequently with my disabled son overnight.

Regarding the CA, I think you could get it every other week, but not the weeks that you work 20 hours. You are likely to have to submit pay slips, and it is possible that your employer will have to declare that you are earning more than £100 every second week. It is complicated, though, and you might want to ring the CA unit for further advice.

shortdog

kingfisherblue wrote: »

First, would your employer allow your disabled child to be with you whilst you are at work? How could you care for him, home educate, and work at the same time? If he is receiving HRC, his care needs will be quiite substantial both day and night - do you have the energy? I sometimes sleep in the day due to being up so frequently with my disabled son overnight.

Regarding the CA, I think you could get it every other week, but not the weeks that you work 20 hours. You are likely to have to submit pay slips, and it is possible that your employer will have to declare that you are earning more than £100 every second week. It is complicated, though, and you might want to ring the CA unit for further advice.

Thanks - I can't see there being an issue with my son being there - it's a very small, quiet museum (not many visitors - it's a very specialist area), there is also a room used as a staff room of sorts just now that my son could use when there were visitors in.
The job wouldn't be hard work, and I can't sleep during the day anyway, due to my son - he'd have a meltdown if I tried to sleep during the day, and I'm fairly used to functioning well on a couple of hours sleep - my mum has the kids one night a week so I get about 16 hours sleep then and catch up a bit :rotfl:
However, these are all the thing I need to think about, so thanks. I don't need to make a final decision for a couple of weeks - the current staff are staying till the end of the season this year, so I wouldn't start until next year anyway, but would need to let them know soonish.
I think I need to weigh it all up, and decide whether I would be biting off more than I can chew:)

rogerblack

Carers allowance is a weekly benefit.
Any weeks you earn over 100, you would not generally be entitled (if expenses do not occur).
However.
As I understand it, in the absence of any specific regulations on what a week is - I can't find it in the CA regs, it would take its ordinary dictionary meaning, which would probably be beginning on monday morning.
So, Fri-Wed would not be 120/week.
It would be 70 one week, 50 the next (or whatever) repeating.
microsites.essexcc.gov.uk/publications/docs/Carers%20Allowance.pdf

Agrees with this, on page 2, it states that the benefit week runs from Sunday to Saturday.

If this is the case, the 6 months on/off is quite irrelevant (and indeed wouldn't affect it - there is no provision for averaging in CA), and you are entitled every week.

thorsoak

It sounds as if it would be beneficial to you, even if you did lose slightly on the financial side.

I do hope it all works out well for you and your family.

shortdog

rogerblack wrote: »

Carers allowance is a weekly benefit.
Any weeks you earn over 100, you would not generally be entitled (if expenses do not occur).
However.
As I understand it, in the absence of any specific regulations on what a week is - I can't find it in the CA regs, it would take its ordinary dictionary meaning, which would probably be beginning on monday morning.
So, Fri-Wed would not be 120/week.
It would be 70 one week, 50 the next (or whatever) repeating.
microsites.essexcc.gov.uk/publications/docs/Carers%20Allowance.pdf

Agrees with this, on page 2, it states that the benefit week runs from Sunday to Saturday.

If this is the case, the 6 months on/off is quite irrelevant (and indeed wouldn't affect it - there is no provision for averaging in CA), and you are entitled every week.

Thanks, thats something I hadn't thought of - and would be good if it works that way! I'll need to ring them and ask I think.

thorsoak wrote: »

It sounds as if it would be beneficial to you, even if you did lose slightly on the financial side.

I do hope it all works out well for you and your family.

Thanks, I don't mind losing a little financially, but can't afford to lose much, as we still have to live! I just hope the benefits outweigh the negatives, or I'll not be taking it.:)

Cpt.Scarlet

It may also depend on how you are paid. If weekly it may be impossible to avoid the problem, but if monthly, then the DWP usually uses 7/30ths to calculate weekly pay.