DLA and carers allowance 23 June 2016 at 7:42PM edited 30 November -1 at 1:00AM in Disability Money Matters 8 replies 1.2K views

kitkatkay

Hi I am after a piece of advice please, My mother lives with myself and my Husband and she is in receipt of PERSONAL INDEPENDANCE PAYMENT at the following rates, standard rate daily living allowance and enhanced rate mobility allowance.

I myself am in receipt of PERSONAL INDEPENDANCE PAYMENT at the following rates: Enhanced rate, My husband works full time so we are not in receipt of any other benefits.

My question is could myself or my mother claim carers allowance for each other ?

Tigsteroonie

If you are indeed caring for each other, and your personal disabilities do not preclude you from doing so ... yes, the system permits you to claim CA for each other.

kimplus8

Are you each others carers? Do either of your disabilities prevent you from being each other's carers? If you do care for each other and you have no reasons for this care to be impeded by your own disabilities then it is a legitimate claim and it can't hurt to apply. The worst that can happen is that they say no and you are in no worse off a position than you are in now hope this helps x

kitkatkay

My mothers claim is due to health conditions and mine is due to Bipolar.

kimplus8

Have you started 2 threads for this?? If not there is another one and I'm now really confused ??

kimplus8

You would have to show that you are both 'available' as each other carers for the required times ie, if you are having a bad time with your mental health how would you be able to be caring for your mother and if her mobility is restricted then how would she be caring for you if you were having issues with your mental health. I expect the assessor would want clarification from GP etc that you are both able to be each other's carers or similar supporting evidence.

Tigsteroonie

kimplus8 wrote: »

Have you started 2 threads for this?? If not there is another one and I'm now really confused ??

It's on the Benefits board too: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5483641

tomtontom

kimplus8 wrote: »

You would have to show that you are both 'available' as each other carers for the required times ie, if you are having a bad time with your mental health how would you be able to be caring for your mother and if her mobility is restricted then how would she be caring for you if you were having issues with your mental health. I expect the assessor would want clarification from GP etc that you are both able to be each other's carers or similar supporting evidence.

This would be the logical approach, but in reality CA applications are very rarely verified. Some might suggest it is the most abused benefit.

kimplus8

tomtontom wrote: »

This would be the logical approach, but in reality CA applications are very rarely verified. Some might suggest it is the most abused benefit.

Really? I would have thought one application would flag up questions about the other and vice versa. Well go ahead and apply op, you have nothing to loose by the sound of it