Carers allowance and Universal credit.

justaquestion

Myself and my partner have a disabled child, I receive ESA (CB) and under the old legacy rules, I also get an adult addition for my partner, which means that we don't claim carers allowance for our child, we do have an underlying entitlement to it, but because of The adult addition in my ESA then there would be no point claiming it.

We are not in any means tested benefits but do get child tax credits, in a Universal Credit area.

If in the future if I lost ESA could we claim carers allowance then, or does doing so mean that we would have to apply for Universal Credit at the same time, as going down the road applying for Universal benefit would not benefit us.

Thanks for any advice.

tomtom256

Do you get DLA/PIP as well?

You need to be in receipt of the relevant Care element in order for you're partner to claim carers allowance.

justaquestion

Sorry for delay in replying.

Yes our child does get DLA at the higher rates as I believe that is required for carer allowance.

Still wondering if one does apply for carers allowance does that have to be in the context of applying for Universal Credit at same time, in other words to get carers allowance you also have to make a claim for Universal Credit?

Many thanks

bigbill

He could claim carers with no need to claim UC, BUT you would lose the addition for him in your ESA and would never be able to get it back, the amounts paid are about the same.

justaquestion

Thanks a lot for replies.
just wondering does claiming carers allowance in itself constitute a change of circumstances, and then we would have to have to apply for Universal Credit anyways?
Thanks

bigbill

No it would not