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Claiming Carers allowance - advice needed re backdating and jsa

I have been looking after my Mum for months and she told me she would lose her DLA higher rate if I claimed carers allowance so I never bothered.

I have since been told she would only lose severe disability premium which I don't think she gets. She receives £526 every 4 weeks.

So now I have moved out and knowing that my Stepfather and younger sister will not cope as they didn't cope well when I was there and decided to go out of an evening, I have decided to claim carers and still help my Mum.

I claim JSA Income based and have been told I can backdate my claim; however I know I lose part of my JSA if I claim carers so how would this work if I backdated my claim 3 months?

Would they then treat it as an over payment of JSA or disregard it? as if they will then treat it as 3 months over payment I won't bother backdating it.

Or will they deduct the over payment straight from the backdated carers money?

Comments

  • nannytone_2
    nannytone_2 Posts: 13,002 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    to claim carers allowance you need to be caring for a minimum of 35 hours a week,
    this obviously wouldnt allow you to be actively seeking work, so if entitled to carers allowance, you would ebd your JSA claim and claim income support instead.
    the income support would be reduced by the amount of carers allowance, but you would receive a carers premium too.
    about £106 a week in total.
    only people on means tested benefit, who get mid/high rate DLA and live alone receive the severe disability premium ( or who live with another person also in receipt of mid/high rate DLA)
  • Lisa_27
    Lisa_27 Posts: 98 Forumite
    On the directgov website benefit calculator if I input I am looking for work I can get JSA and Carers at the same time, as I would like to get a job but while I am looking I can help my Mum or get an evening job etc.

    Would they automatically change me to income support?
  • Poppie68
    Poppie68 Posts: 4,881 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    IS is £35 per week if you dont have any dependents when claimed along side CA, so you would recieve £85 per week in total.
  • nannytone_2
    nannytone_2 Posts: 13,002 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    income support is paid at the same rate as JSA, it is irrelevant if you have dependants or not.

    OP, you could claim JSSA and carers ( would be the same amount as income support) but they will ask you hpw you are available to work when you are caring.
    there is nothing to stop you claiming income support and still look for work.... but without all the conditions attatched to JSA.
    you can earn upto £100 a week and still claim carers allowance
  • Poppie68
    Poppie68 Posts: 4,881 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    My daughter claims IS and CA and and recieves £35 per week for the IS claim, so that is less than JSA. Also she has just had a baby and has been informed she will recieve an increase in her IS for the baby.
  • nannytone_2
    nannytone_2 Posts: 13,002 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    because the income support is reduced by the amount of the carers allowance. she should also receive a carers premiumm.

    she should be claiming child tax credits for the baby and not income support
  • Poppie68
    Poppie68 Posts: 4,881 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary Combo Breaker
    nannytone wrote: »
    because the income support is reduced by the amount of the carers allowance. she should also receive a carers premiumm.

    she should be claiming child tax credits for the baby and not income support


    Thanks it all totally confuses me. I have started a thread titled' income support' could you please maybe help me on there in stead of me totally hijacking this post?
  • mikey_bach
    mikey_bach Posts: 912 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 29 April 2013 at 9:28PM
    Lisa_27 wrote: »
    I have been looking after my Mum for months and she told me she would lose her DLA higher rate if I claimed carers allowance so I never bothered.

    I have since been told she would only lose severe disability premium which I don't think she gets. She receives £526 every 4 weeks.

    So now I have moved out and knowing that my Stepfather and younger sister will not cope as they didn't cope well when I was there and decided to go out of an evening, I have decided to claim carers and still help my Mum.

    I claim JSA Income based and have been told I can backdate my claim; however I know I lose part of my JSA if I claim carers so how would this work if I backdated my claim 3 months?

    Would they then treat it as an over payment of JSA or disregard it? as if they will then treat it as 3 months over payment I won't bother backdating it.

    Or will they deduct the over payment straight from the backdated carers money?


    If your stepfather lives with your mother then she will not be entitled to SDP anyway unless he has DLA middle rate or above.


    If you are on J.S.A now and want to claim Carers Allowance then you can ask for back dating of C.A for up to three months, I am presuming you are caring for thirty five hours a week or more.
    Before going into payment C.A will send JSA as recovery to recover the J.S.A you have been paid but you will be entitled to arrears and when J.S.A has returned the form to C.A then C.A will pay you arrears and put C.A into payment.


    You can claim C.A along side J.S.A IB as well as I.S.
    But most people opt to claim I.S. When its sorted and if you want to go on to I.S then you will need to make a new claim and close your J.S.A
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