Question about DLA

Toomuchdebt

I've just been awarded middle rate care for my son. I've informed Tax Credits and been told it may change the amount I am paid-I assume they will just deduct the DLA from the tax credits? At the risk of sounding greedy, is there anything else I can now get for him as he has been awarded DLA such as school meals etc?
Also I am currently on sick pay and am unlikely to go back to work to that job anyway as they are refusing to reduce my hours to more manageable ones, if I am able to return to work it will be for the minimum hours allowed as a single parent otherwise I shall end up in hospital again. Currently the situation is that my sick pay will run out in June and I will have to apply for ESA. Will this also affect DLA?

Toomuchdebt

karenccs67 wrote: »

When I received DLA for my son, our child tax credits went up, there is a element for disabled children.

Really? The lady on the phone seemed to think it would be reduced as it wasn't high rate care.She said it would be passed to the back office staff to look at and if I hadn't heard anything in 4 weeks I was to ring again.
Now it looks like I'm replying to nobody but I swear there was a post a second ago!!

densol_2

Your claim for ESA won't effect your sons DLA as that's money for him as such ( although of course it's household income)

Your tax credit will increase as the disability element is added. It will be the basic disability element but not the severe element as your son needs the higher rate DLA for that. So maybe it was a bit of confusion with her explaining you will get the basic added but not the extra severe added.

The basic is about £2950 if you are below the threshold and if you rang tax credits within 30 days of getting DLA letter, they back date the money to the date DLA was awarded.

densol_2

Also if you don't mind sharing what is your illness and is it classed as a " disability " ? If so have your work considered " reasonable adjustments " to reduce your hours ?

WantToBeSE

Toomuchdebt wrote: »

I've just been awarded middle rate care for my son. I've informed Tax Credits and been told it may change the amount I am paid-I assume they will just deduct the DLA from the tax credits? At the risk of sounding greedy, is there anything else I can now get for him as he has been awarded DLA such as school meals etc?
Also I am currently on sick pay and am unlikely to go back to work to that job anyway as they are refusing to reduce my hours to more manageable ones, if I am able to return to work it will be for the minimum hours allowed as a single parent otherwise I shall end up in hospital again. Currently the situation is that my sick pay will run out in June and I will have to apply for ESA. Will this also affect DLA?

You may get the disability premium for your child added to your tax credits. So an extra bit of money there.

You MAY- i dont know how it works with sick pay, so tripple check- be able to get Carers Allowance if you are earning less than £112 a week from Employment/self employment.

Not sure about the ESA/DLA question, sorry.

Brighty

DLA is money for your son, not you, so won't affect your ESA
As has been mentioned, your tax credits will go up.
You could be entitled to carers allowance if you earn under £110 or so a week. You'd get either £60.10 a week if your not on ESA (means you wouldn't have to jump through all the ESA medical hoops) or if you get ESA, you wouldn't get £62.10 on top, but you would get a carers top up to ESA

Brighty

[Deleted User]

Brighty wrote: »

DLA is money for your son, not you, so won't affect your ESA
As has been mentioned, your tax credits will go up.
You could be entitled to carers allowance if you earn under £110 or so a week. You'd get either £60.10 a week if your not on ESA (means you wouldn't have to jump through all the ESA medical hoops) or if you get ESA, you wouldn't get £62.10 on top, but you would get a carers top up to ESA

Brighty

So, it does affect their ESA if they get a carers top up

Brighty

_shel wrote: »

So, it does affect their ESA if they get a carers top up

The DLA doesn't affect ESA, but claiming for carers allowance would, by increasing it.

Brighty

Toomuchdebt

Thank you everyone. I've had a rough few days so hadn't been online to reply. Then my laptop decided to be stupid so I had to reinstall windows yesterday.
I rang CTC the same day I got the letter but haven't heard anything from them yet-will give them a bit more time.
My work refuse to make any allowances for me-I don't have a diagnosis yet just symptoms and a million tests that I'm waiting for results for. I asked for a reduction in hours to 16 as that would have meant I didn't need to be rushing around but could have more time to get there and back within school runs but they refused straight away. They said I either do my normal hours(25) or nothing. So at the moment I'm on sick pay while docs try and work out what's wrong. The trouble is it's variable. I can be feeling OK one day and unable to get out of bed the next. Or I can be fine for an hour and then next 3 my hands are shaking and I'm getting pins and needles in my feet and pains in my back and can't concentrate on anything. Yesterday I couldn't even hold my phone so wouldn't be able to do my job(optical and hearing assistant-doing basic tests etc). It makes it very difficult. I think I need to be looking for something I can do from home or at least sitting down on a computer and preferably not dealing with members of the public. I feel as if my life is on hold waiting to find out what's wrong with me and I don't know where to go from here.
Gosh sorry that turned out a bit long didn't it.
I don't think I can claim carer's allowance not being well myself can I?

Toomuchdebt

Brighty wrote: »

DLA is money for your son, not you, so won't affect your ESA
As has been mentioned, your tax credits will go up.
You could be entitled to carers allowance if you earn under £110 or so a week. You'd get either £60.10 a week if your not on ESA (means you wouldn't have to jump through all the ESA medical hoops) or if you get ESA, you wouldn't get £62.10 on top, but you would get a carers top up to ESA

Brighty

I normally earn £167 a week when working but sick pay is £88.45.

gunsandbanjos

Toomuchdebt wrote: »

I don't think I can claim carer's allowance not being well myself can I?

you'd be surprised! You frequently see couples both claiming benefits as too sick to work but apparently both perfectly capable of being the full time 'carer' for the other...