Income support and carers allowance

Happydays3

Hello

I have put in a claim for income support today, and have been told I need to go to a work focused interview, which is fine but I'm not looking for work...as I claim carers allowance. Can anyone advise what will happen and will this be a regular thing?
Thanks

kingfisherblue

Carers are required to attend a WFI when requested, and could lose their benefiot if they dont. When my children were growing up, I had to attend every six months as I was also a single parent, but now it is once every three years. I understand that it isn't usually as often as every six months anymore (something to do with the age that Income Support stops for single parents who are not carers - the age has been lowered to five, whereas it used to be twelve).

The appointments do not usually take too long, between ten minutes and half an hour. There is no pressure to return to work if you are a carer. There are some basic questions to check that you are receiving the benefits that you are entitled to, and support if you want to attend any education or training.

On the whole, I have found the appointments to be more of a friendly chat to check that I am ok. The Job Centre have been happy to give me a more appropriate time if the appointment that they have sent has been at a time I couldn't make it. Once I had a telephone interview, but I can't remember why (probably when my son was ill, though I couldn't be certain).

Happydays3

Thanks for ur reply!

That's great and very informative.