UNIVERSAL CREDIT MINIMUM WORKING HOURS OR INCOME

calcotti

Lessormore said:.. it now comes second nature to me, I don't fully appreciate just how much care I provide and how relentless it is. 

If it's necessary just being there in case something happens is care.

Lessormore

Thank you all for helping me yesterday. I'm very grateful for you taking the time to help. Just checking that I’m not in another muddle!

I can make a claim for Carers Allowance and ask for it to be backdated 3 months. I can easily provide details of the care that I currently provide but will I need to give a detailed breakdown of how this comes to over 35 hours per week?   

My partner and I can make a claim for Universal Credit. Five weeks after making the claim, we should (I believe) be eligible to receive and/or begin to receive Standard Allowance + Local Housing Allowance + Carer Element. All minus the Carers Allowance (once it’s received). In the fourth month after making the claim, we should begin to receive LCWRA Allowance as well.

When I start working (and earning over £128 per week) I will no longer be eligible to receive Carers Allowance and the amount of Universal Credit will reduce, based on my earned income after taking into account the Work Allowance and Earnings Taper.

Have I got that right? Thank you.

calcotti

Yes that's correct except for the last bit (see bottom of this post).

You don't need to claim Carer's Allowance. You can claim the carer element of UC without claiming Carer's Allowance. The only advantage of claiming Carer's Allowance is that you can backdate it by three months whereas you cannot backdate UC. That backdating is worth about £878.

You don't need to provide details of the care you provide - it is enough for you to say that you meet the 35 hour caring condition.

An important point to note that if you do claim Carer's Allowance it is your responsibility to inform them if you will breach the earnings limit - if you don't they will continue to pay it but you will eventually have to pay any overpayment back.

The earnings limit will rise to £132/week from 6th April 2022.

Lessormore said: When I start working (and earning over £128 per week) I will no longer be eligible to receive Carers Allowance and the amount of Universal Credit will reduce, based on my earned income after taking into account the Work Allowance and Earnings Taper.

It isn't necessarily true that the Universal Credit payable will reduce. Whether or not it does will depend on the exact amount you earn. While you receive CA there is a deduction from UC of £67.60/week. If you were earning £200/week the earnings deduction would be equivalent to £67.48/week. Roughly therefore your UC will only reduce below the amount with Carer's Allowance and no earnings if your earnings exceed £200/week.

Lessormore

calcotti

Thank you for confirming. That's what I thought. You've been extremely helpful and I appreciate you taking the time to help me and my partner.