Carers Allowance

Ferboz

Hello hopefully someone can give me some advice. I will try & be brief & to the point!
My sister has downs Syndrome & currently lives with my parents. Due to them being in their mid 80's and Covid, both my husband & myself have taken on more of a carers role to help them out. As i  work FT, my husband, cut his hours to go to PT in order to provide the extra care she needs & to offer help with my parents. Nothing has changed as in benefits, my mum has POA so receives both PIP & ESA for my sister.
However i wish to ask if it would be possible to claim carers allowance for my husband. I know from my mum that as she gets a state pension she cannot claim it herself as between her & my sister it looks like 2 benefits of the same kind are being claimed...if that makes sense. My husband doesnt claim any benefits, just does a few hours each week instead of being full time, so if he would qualify the additional income would be very welcome. My sister gets both the higher rates on PIP & also gets a disability guarantee payment included on her ESA.  
Thanks you in advance!

poppy12345

You first need to check that either of your parents are not claiming the Carers Allowance theirself. Although they can't be paid it, they may still have an underlying entitlement to it, which could increase any benefits they currently claim.

Also if both of your parents are claiming a disability benefit their self such as DLA mid/high rate care or Attendance Allowance then they could be claiming Severe Disability premium, if a claim for carers allowance is made then this will stop your sisters SDP.

Ferboz

Thank you Poppy, i can answer part of the reply.... my parents do not claim any benefits themselves..the only think my dad has is the Blue Badge.
My mum has said many times that she cannot claim the carers so, i am not sure she does get anything...however would it say so on my sisters letter? Thats the only way we know what my sisters entitlements are. Sorry being stupid but i dont understand the 'underlying entitlement' . Thank you 

poppy12345

It wouldn't say on your sisters letters that anyone claims carers allowance for her. I'm assuming your parents claim state pension but do they claim pension credit?

I know she can't be paid carers allowance but claiming it will mean she'll have an underlying entitlement to it. Explained here. https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-benefits/other-pension-age-benefits

pmlindyloo

poppy12345 said:

It wouldn't say on your sisters letters that anyone claims carers allowance for her. I'm assuming your parents claim state pension but do they claim pension credit?

Or do they claim Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment (AA/DLA/PIP)?

Many people do not consider these as benefits. Only mentioning this as having a blue badge might indicate some medical problems which could suggest a benefit having been awarded.

Your sister’s ESA award letter should tell us whether she is receiving the Severe Disability Premium which would be affected if someone claimed Carer’s Allowance for her.

poppy12345

pmlindyloo said:

poppy12345 said:

It wouldn't say on your sisters letters that anyone claims carers allowance for her. I'm assuming your parents claim state pension but do they claim pension credit?

Or do they claim Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment (AA/DLA/PIP)?

Many people do not consider these as benefits. Only mentioning this as having a blue badge might indicate some medical problems which could suggest a benefit having been awarded.

Your sister’s ESA award letter should tell us whether she is receiving the Severe Disability Premium which would be affected if someone claimed Carer’s Allowance for her.

Yes indeed, which was why i asked about the disability benefits because of the SDP.

If it doesn't state SDP on the sisters ESA and the parents are both claiming either of those disability benefits then the sister at least will be entitled to the SDP but not if someone claims carers allowance for looking after her.

Spoonie_Turtle

Ferboz said:
& also gets a disability guarantee payment included on her ESA.  

Is this the SDP perhaps, or something else?

poppy12345

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Ferboz said:
& also gets a disability guarantee payment included on her ESA.  

Is this the SDP perhaps, or something else?

The disability guarantee that the OP is talking about here is the Enhanced disability premium.

calcotti

poppy12345 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Ferboz said:
& also gets a disability guarantee payment included on her ESA.  

Is this the SDP perhaps, or something else?

The disability guarantee that the OP is talking about here is the Enhanced disability premium.

Never understood why ESA letters refer to it as the disability guarantee!

Robbie64

calcotti said:

poppy12345 said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Ferboz said:
& also gets a disability guarantee payment included on her ESA.  

Is this the SDP perhaps, or something else?

The disability guarantee that the OP is talking about here is the Enhanced disability premium.

Never understood why ESA letters refer to it as the disability guarantee!

It's a throwback to when the EDP was first introduced in 2001. The then Labour Government announced the introduction of a minimum income guarantee for disabled people in receipt of Income Support who also received the highest rate of DLA care. The Enhanced Disability Premium was the difference between this minimum disability income guarantee and the then combined amount of Income Support personal allowance and the Disability Premium.

The phrase "Disability Income Guarantee" was used on the first IS award notifications that were produced in 2001 and were carried forward to ESA when it was introduced in 2008. I don't think any of the award letters have ever stated "Enhanced Disability Premium"

Brie

As I understand it getting a carer's allowance will be determined by how much your other half earns a week (you said he was PT) and how many hours he works helping care for your sister.  If on average he earns less than £128 after tax and helps at least 35 hours a week he would be entitled to the princely sum of about £67.  

If he applies I suggest you put the full pleading on the application to point out the help is required due to the age of your parents.