Carers Element on UC

Stuckinarut

My husband has recently been awarded pip back to October. I wasn't eligible to apply for CA as earn more than £120 per week. Once we were advised of the pip award I applied for the carers element. Does anyone know if this is backdated, as until pip was awarded I wasn't entitled to it, and didn't know I had to tell uc prior to this that I was caring for him as I also work full time. Can anyone help?

calcotti

I can’t find guidance to confirm an answer to this, others may do better. You can request that DWP supersede the UC award and include the carer element back to the date the PIP award has been made from. This doubt this will happen automatically especially if you have not said you were caring for him during this period.

Stuckinarut

It wasn't until he was awarded pip and I looked into what else was available that I found out about the carers element. I've tried searching too and can't find anything. I've put a note on my journal asking what date I'll be eligible from.

calcotti

Stuckinarut wrote: »

It wasn't until he was awarded pip and I looked into what else was available that I found out about the carers element. I've tried searching too and can't find anything. I've put a note on my journal asking what date I'll be eligible from.

I suggest you specifically confirm that you have been caring for him throughout and request backdating.

sportsarb

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720476/adma4.pdf

I think A4215 deals with it. My reading of it is that so long as it is notified within the time limits (usually a month) that it will take effect from the first day of the AP in which the change happens, rather than when you are notified of it, my faith in saying that lies largely in that they used the same language for ESA/JSA as they do for UC in that passage and I know that when I worked in those benefits that we always backdated to the start of the benefit week it took effect (Again, subject to time limits).

calcotti

sportsarb wrote: »

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/720476/adma4.pdf

I think A4215 deals with it. My reading of it is that so long as it is notified within the time limits (usually a month) that it will take effect from the first day of the AP in which the change happens, rather than when you are notified of it, my faith in saying that lies largely in that they used the same language for ESA/JSA as they do for UC in that passage and I know that when I worked in those benefits that we always backdated to the start of the benefit week it took effect (Again, subject to time limits).

This is what I was looking for earlier but couldn’t find. Paragraph A4220 is more specific and, I think, makes clear the UC award should be superseded from the date of the award of the relevant benefit.

Stuckinarut

Bear with me here. Does that mean it should be applied from the October AP as I have notified them within a month of receiving the award?

sportsarb

Stuckinarut wrote: »

Bear with me here. Does that mean it should be applied from the October AP as I have notified them within a month of receiving the award?

Yes, pretty much, all being well.

Stuckinarut

We'll see what they say in my journal, if they actually reply.

Stuckinarut

I thought I'd update to say that they told me to put my reasons I didn't apply earlier and a decision maker would decide however this could take 28 days. I'm not holding out much hope as waiting on a decision on a mand recon since 30th January.

Alice_Holt

Stuckinarut wrote: »

... as waiting on a decision on a mand recon since 30th January.

I'd chase that up up the DWP, 2 months is a long time to wait. Give them a ring and check they have received the MR, and it has been passed to a DM.
It's been known for MR's to get lost in the DWP system.