really need advice

sazrun

hiya, sorry i really need help and im just confused and anxious and unsure of what to do.

I am a carer for my partner who has anyelosing spondelitus, because of this i have had to cut down my hours alot at work and am now being changed to a zero hour contract to accomindate this.
i was advised to apply for universal credit and carers allowance. so i did.
my carers allowance wont be given to me until november after i have provided proof that i do not go over the tresh hold at work. my universal credit it due on friday, upon checking i am only going to receive £37 because of the carers allowance i am not receieving this month and i have only for 16 hours all month at work meaning i wont recieve much of a wage at all.
im stuck and really unsure what to do

Ineededaname

Have you declared yourself as a carer on Universal Credit? They take Carers Allowance you are paid off you but they should balance this by giving you the Universal credit carers element. It shouldn't be taking your payment away.

Alice_Holt

"because of the carers allowance i am not receiving this month"
Post a note on your journal explaining that you have not received CA

You could see if your local advice agency could look at your UC for this month to check you are getting all the elements,

Is your partner in the LCWRA group?
Are you getting the Carers Element?
Housing Element?

Longer term, it may be worth seeing if it's possible to cancel the CA claim.
CA is not a requisite to getting the carers element of UC:
Unlike CA Unlike Carers Allowance where you are prevented from claiming if you are earning above a certain level (£120pw for 2018/19), for the Carers Element your level of earnings does not prevent you from claiming.
Once on UC there is no additional payments for getting CA (it is deducted as you said).
https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Universal-Credit/Additional-Elements-of-Universal-Credit

Speak to your local advice centre about this possible course of action, as I may not be fully aware of any disadvantages.

calcotti

Alice_Holt wrote: »

Speak to your local advice centre about this possible course of action, as I may not be fully aware of any disadvantages.

One difference is that Universal Credit gives Class 3 NI credits whereas Carers Allowance gives Class 1. For lots of people this is unlikely to be an issue but for people who are only in the system for a short while it could affect future entitlement to new style JSA or ESA.