Carers Allowance - Unpaid work?

Brighty

Hi all

My wife currently receives CA (our son gets mid rate DLA).

Her only other income is rental income which equates to £90 a week, not too far from the £110 a week limit.

My wife is looking to return to work in Sept, part time, which means she'll lose her CA. She'll have to work 9hrs a week just to make up for the lost CA, but it's what she wants to do.

She doesn't really know what she wants to do job wise, she's had enough of being a care assistant and wants to try something else.

She has enquired about, and been offered, a few hours a week unpaid voluntary work in a couple of businesses, so she can try a few different roles out to see what she likes, and they could turn into paid roles come September when she'll have more free time.

As these are businesses not charities, i understand this would be classed as 'unpaid work' rather than voluntary work. Is this allowed with CA? She doesn't want to lose her CA before she starts a proper paid job.

Thanks

Brighty

NLW

Who will look after your son when your wife goes back to work?

Brighty

He'll be at school.

He started school in Sept, daughter starts this Sept, so wife will have spare time and wants to fill it by getting back to work part time during school hours

Brighty

Diary

As I understand it and I looked into a while ago you can volunteer up to 15 hours a week and it doesn't have to be a charity or not for profit and still get carers allowance. I would check though.

reluctanthousewife

So long as your wife is still providing 35 hours of care a week there shouldn't be an issue, but you still have to tell them

Alice_Holt

You can get Carer’s Allowance if you meet all the following conditions:

you are aged 16 or over and not in full time education
you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a disabled person who gets one of the following benefits: Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance, the middle or higher rate for personal care of Disability Living Allowance, the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (either rate) or Armed Forces Independence Payment
you don't earn more than £110 a week after deductions such as tax and national insurance
you are in Great Britain when you claim - there are some exceptions, for example, for members and family members of the Armed Forces
you have been in Great Britain for at least 2 of the last 3 years
you are·habitually resident in the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
you are not subject to·immigration control that would stop you getting benefit.

See - CAB adviceguide