Carers allowance..what happens when both need it?

Cavair001

I am currently on indefinite higher rate DLA and have a mobility car, and my wife receives carers allowance.
However she has now been diagnosed with secondary cancer and i am already helping her with some aspects of living, and can see this need increasing while she receives chemo and especially if prognosis changes to terminal. Both of us now struggle with aspects of housework.

She gets a small amount of PIP but not the mobility rate.
What happens when both need more help? Will DSS pay carers both ways or will it be swopped over? I dont want to approach them yet until we get more support from Macmillans.
I am 65 and my wife not quite 60.

Tigsteroonie

It is possible for two people to each be awarded Carers Allowance for looking after the other. Morally it could be questioned, but perhaps there are some things that one is capable of doing for the other, and vice versa. I am not one to judge.

TELLIT01

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

It is possible for two people to each be awarded Carers Allowance for looking after the other. Morally it could be questioned, but perhaps there are some things that one is capable of doing for the other, and vice versa. I am not one to judge.

Not one to judge? Could have fooled my. By making the statement that morally it could be questioned you are already judging.

In answer to the OP, it is far from uncommon for a couple both to claim Carers Allowance for each other. Each person's caring needs can be very different, and each claim is judged on its own merits. As long as you can show that you fulfil the criteria for receipt of CA there isn't an issue.

teddysmum

Would the OP be able to claim Carer's Allowance, as opposed to having an underlying claim, as he is 65, so over State Pension age (and CA and SP, both being income replacement benefits) ?

nannytone_2

a lot depends on what other benefits are being claimed.

if receiving any amount of income related benefit, it would always be more beneficial for both to claim the severe disability premium ( allowable when only 2 adults in the household, and both receiving relevant disability benefit) than to claim carers allowance

Alice_Holt

Info on CA:
http://www.carersuk.org/files/helpandadvice/71/factsheet-uk1025--carers-allowance-updated-august-2016.pdf. If your wife is in receipt of the Daily Living component of PIP, this counts as a qualifying benefit.

If you are in receipt of a state pension, you cannot receive both your SP and CA. (They are both classified as income replacement benefits, and only one income replacement benefit can be received at any one time).

Dependant on income and circumstances however, you may be entitled to Pension Credit and may either receive a carers premium (having met the underlying conditions for a CA award) or be able to claim the severe disability premium. See https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/forum?view=topic&catid=10&id=16387 re SDP.
https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/overview. PC is a means tested benefit.

Given that this is complicated and depends on your particular circumstances (for instance whether your SP is pre or post April 2016) and income, I would suggest you request a full benefits check from a Macmillan benefits adviser.

Teaandscones

Tigsteroonie wrote: »

It is possible for two people to each be awarded Carers Allowance for looking after the other. Morally it could be questioned, but perhaps there are some things that one is capable of doing for the other, and vice versa. I am not one to judge.

Growing up, I knew an elderly couple who cared for each other. He was deaf and she was blind, but together they were able to live independently until shortly before they died both at the age of 102. I don't know whether they were able to claim any benefits though.