worse off under CTC??

LiquidStool

hey all

i've recently changed from IS to Child Tax credits, i've had an award notice from IS to say that my IS has gone down to £41 a week, also my Carer's Allowance as also been cut, leaving me almost £120 a month worse off! I can only assume this is a !!!! up, i've made no other changes, I'm still a carer doing over 100 hours a week so whats caused this? I was of the understanding that you what you are awarded in CTC, you lose exactly the same from other benefits.

help please!

nannytone_2

so your child/chilfren were included in you icome support claim but have now been switched to child tax credits?

if this is the case ...

your income support will be reduced by the amount of your carers allowance, but then a carers premium should be added..
if youre getting £41 a week income support and £58 carers allowance that makes £99 a week. you should also be getting the premium which is about £32 a week.

you havent said how much ctc you receive, so no one can say if that is right or wrong

LiquidStool

ah right, i'll rectify, sorry.


CTC
22-01-13 = £200.80
29-01-13 = £200.72

prior to claim for CTC, my IS

£259 a week, made up from various premiums (me, 2 children, i'm sick and carers premium)

from 3rd Jan, my IS is: £71 for me, £30.35 because im sick, £32.60 carer premium

they've minused my Carers Allowance (it was £101.95 now shows as £92.85 a week)

so i'm left with £41.10 IS

if you need further info to try and work out whats happened please let me know. thanks for your help :-)

nannytone_2

your carers allowance would never have been £101. its a set rate of just over £58 a week.

the figure that you give for ctc ... is that weekly or 4 weeklthe way they work out your entitlement is ...

they pay you your carers allowance of £58.
they then top it up with income support to £71. that means you get a reduced rate of income support .... but they then add premiums.
the carers premium and the premium because you are sick.

you need to tell us exactly what your award letters are saying for us to be clear ob whats going on

from your own figures you are getting £133.35 a week before tax credits.

OldMotherTucker

Sick yet caring 100 hours a week? Wow!

nannytone_2

OldMotherTucker wrote: »

Sick yet caring 100 hours a week? Wow!

if the OP has a disabled child, she has no option but to care for that child regardless of how poorly she is !

LiquidStool

OldMotherTucker wrote: »

Sick yet caring 100 hours a week? Wow!

yes that's right, God, why can't people keep their useless and bigoted comments to themselves?? I'm asking for help, not people like you on my case.

I'm diagnosed with depression and stress brought on by the death of my daughter and the stress of looking after a highly disabled child, so OldMotherTucker, unless you have something useful to add to my post, please keep your mouth shut and fingers off your keyboard. :mad:

LiquidStool

nannytone wrote: »

your carers allowance would never have been £101. its a set rate of just over £58 a week.

the figure that you give for ctc ... is that weekly or 4 weeklthe way they work out your entitlement is ...

they pay you your carers allowance of £58.
they then top it up with income support to £71. that means you get a reduced rate of income support .... but they then add premiums.
the carers premium and the premium because you are sick.

you need to tell us exactly what your award letters are saying for us to be clear ob whats going on

from your own figures you are getting £133.35 a week before tax credits.

NannyTone, i can assure you that i've recieved CA at £101.95 for the last 7 years, well not exactly that rate but thats what it's risen to over the last years. I can't explain it but i had by benefits reviewed last year and they've continued to pay it at that rate.

I have to go collect my daughter from respite shortly but will try to dig out all the letters and type them up. Thank you for your help thus far.

Oh, and the figure for CTC is weekly., below is from CTC award notice.

CHILD ELEMENTS:

2 qualifying children (93 days) £1370.82

1 disability element (93 days) £752.37
1 severe disability element (93 days) £304.11

FAMILY ELEMENTS

Basic (93 days) £139.50
Total CTC elements £2566.80
Reductions due to income £0

nannytone_2

try the turntous benefit calculator.
it is the most accurate abd will give you a fairly good picture of what you should be getting.

if your child is disabled ... are you receiving any premiums of ctc?

carers allowance is a set rate and there are no variables.

that figure cant be the carers allowance alone.

you need to look back over your award letters to find out which payments cover which premiums

the £101ish would be the amount you would have received in income support plus the carers premium combined.

Dunroamin

LiquidStool wrote: »

NannyTone, i can assure you that i've recieved CA at £101.95 for the last 7 years, well not exactly that rate but thats what it's risen to over the last years.

"Carer’s Allowance is £58.45 a week to help you look after someone with substantial caring needs."

https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/overview

LiquidStool

Hi NannyTone

further to the CA question, i've tracked down award letter, it says:

personal rate £58.45
Extra CA for a partner or person looking after your children £34.40
Each Child £11.35

(reduced by £3.25 for the eldest child)

Total £101.95 so the total was correct, i just didn't realize there were premiums included in that amount. Sorry about that!

Also, as per your advice went to benefits calulator, gave me a total:

Income Support £238.35 per week
Housing Benefit £107.39 per week
Council Tax Benefit £19.85 per week
Carer's Allowance £58.45 per week
Total benefits you have declared £33.70 per week
Total weekly income £457.74 per week