Warm Home Discount Scheme 2022 - confusing info

Spoonie_Turtle

ptanithmillard said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Is Carers Allowance your only income?

Yes, but mum gets PIP and Dad gets DLA so it's not as bad as it sounds.

I'm sorry but quite frankly that is terrible, nobody can live on CA alone.  And your parents' disability benefits are for the extra costs of disability, not to be their only source of income (unless I've misunderstood there).  Unless you have over £16,000 in savings or a second home then you most certainly would qualify for UC yourself.  You would then be entitled to next year's cost of living payments.  Your parents should qualify for some income-replacement benefit between them too.  Are they over or under pension age?

You should do a benefits calculation for yourself - you won't get help with housing costs unless you are on the tenancy, but you'll get the standard allowance plus the carer element.  CA will be deducted in full but you will still be much better off.  Try these:
https://www.entitledto.co.uk/
https://benefits-calculator.turn2us.org.uk/
And because you're a carer you would not have any work-related commitments.  Beyond the initial appointment or two to set up your claim, they should leave you alone.

You should then probably do calculations for your parents.  Are they paying full Council Tax, and do they rent or own the home?

(I apologise this has gone way off topic but this is really important.  You need to be claiming everything you're entitled to.)

ptanithmillard

Muttleythefrog said:

Probably you can take a good stab at estimating energy efficiency of property using the factors involved.... or here's a thought.... got any neighbours with similar property style, age and heating system... if so check to see if they have an EPC... they're publicly available

Seven properties have an EPC on our small street. Four have a rating of D, one has a rating of E, and two have a rating of C but both of those have had a lot of work done on them recently, and their ECPs were issued in 2019 and 2021. The two other mid terraces, one the same size as ours, the other smaller, have a rating of D and as far as know have the same heating system as we do. So my guess would be we would also get a D rating. Not that it would make a difference, it seems.  

Muttleythefrog

ptanithmillard said:

Muttleythefrog said:

Probably you can take a good stab at estimating energy efficiency of property using the factors involved.... or here's a thought.... got any neighbours with similar property style, age and heating system... if so check to see if they have an EPC... they're publicly available

Seven properties have an EPC on our small street. Four have a rating of D, one has a rating of E, and two have a rating of C but both of those have had a lot of work done on them recently, and their ECPs were issued in 2019 and 2021. The two other mid terraces, one the same size as ours, the other smaller, have a rating of D and as far as know have the same heating system as we do. So my guess would be we would also get a D rating. Not that it would make a difference, it seems.  

Yes might be an up hill battle... probably would be about D then... things like any cavity wall and loft insulation along with whether terraced etc and size probably key to any variations on the street and of course primary heating system and any energy generation features like solar roof. The WHD I suppose has somewhat faded in value despite its £10 increase as fuel inflation is very high... and given you'd have to pay for a survey.. well... not ideal. I'd follow Spoonie's advice... quite possibly bigger fish to fry so to speak. Good luck!

ptanithmillard

calcottiSpoonie_Turtle

I was only supposed to be giving my Dad some temporary respite as he was mum's carer but was having a few issues of his own. Unfortunately, he ended up being diagnosed with dementia as well so it turned into a permanent situation. So at the time, I had no idea what was going on or how anything worked. I was in contact with Adult Social Services and Newham carers network and they helped me handle the transfer of mum from DLA to PIP. Got Dad on the middle rate of DLA, he was previously on a lower rate. They also helped me claim CA. Mum and dad were already in receipt of both housing and council tax benefits on a rented home and the savings component of pension credit. They did try to help me claim a few other things but we were unsuccessful can't remember what they all were but they ran the benefits calculator. My saving are less than £16000. Mum and Dad have savings of around £9000 which I try not to touch so that future funeral costs will be covered plus all our direct debits come out of that account. Dad has a small private pension which pays approx £250 a month. I do not own any property and was previously living with my ex.

Mum and Dad are currently receiving the extra cost of living payments and will be getting a higher Winter fuel payment this year.

I did try running the benefits calculator again back in 2019 after a carers assessment recommended claiming UC but didn't seem to be eligible at that time. But I could have been doing something wrong. It was confusing because it said my claims would affect Mum and Dads benefits and I didn't want to end up making us worse off as we were managing with what we had.

ptanithmillard

Forgot to mention they are both in their 70's though Mum was still in her 60's when I first took over.

poppy12345

ptanithmillard said:

calcottiSpoonie_Turtle


I did try running the benefits calculator again back in 2019 after a carers assessment recommended claiming UC but didn't seem to be eligible at that time. But I could have been doing something wrong. It was confusing because it said my claims would affect Mum and Dads benefits and I didn't want to end up making us worse off as we were managing with what we had.

A claim for UC for yourself will not affect any of your parents benefits, in the same way their benefits/income will not affect any entitlement you have to UC.

However, for every £250 or part the of over £6,000 there's a £4.35/month deduction in UC. If you're over 25 then standard allowance is £334.91/month, Carers element is £168.81/month. Dedcution for carers allowance is £302. Total UC payable is £201.72/month plus your existing carers allowance. I haven't taken into consideration any possible deductions for savings.

Next years CoL payments critieria are likely to be the same as they were this year, you'll need to be claiming certain means tested benefits.

Spoonie_Turtle

ptanithmillard said:

calcottiSpoonie_Turtle

I did try running the benefits calculator again back in 2019 after a carers assessment recommended claiming UC but didn't seem to be eligible at that time. But I could have been doing something wrong. It was confusing because it said my claims would affect Mum and Dads benefits and I didn't want to end up making us worse off as we were managing with what we had.

That would only apply if they were both claiming the Severe Disability Premium, which they can't be because you claim Carers Allowance already.  Definitely try the calculator(s) again, and to be honest I can't see any harm in you claiming UC regardless of what the calculator says anyway, you have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain.

ptanithmillard

Thanks Poppy,

As Mum and Dads appointee their PIP, DLA, Pension credit plus Mums pension (though not dads for some reason) are paid into my account. I transfer Dads DLA and Pension credit back to his account as all the direct debits come out of there so need to keep it topped up. The rest I leave in my account to use for the monthly budget as it makes things so much easier.

Will this affect my claim? It's in my account so they are going to count it against my claim even though technically it belongs to mum and dad?

poppy12345

ptanithmillard said:

Thanks Poppy,

As Mum and Dads appointee their PIP, DLA, Pension credit plus Mums pension (though not dads for some reason) are paid into my account. I transfer Dads DLA and Pension credit back to his account as all the direct debits come out of there so need to keep it topped up. The rest I leave in my account to use for the monthly budget as it makes things so much easier.

Will this affect my claim? It's in my account so they are going to count it against my claim even though technically it belongs to mum and dad?

If your parents claim the Guarantee Credit element of pension credit then they will automatically be entitled to the Warm Home Discount. See link. https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/guarantee-pension-credit

Your parents money going into your bank account will not affect any entitlement to UC for yourself. As i advised, their income is completely different to any entitlement you may have with UC.

calcotti

Spoonie_Turtle said:

ptanithmillard said:

calcottiSpoonie_Turtle

I did try running the benefits calculator again back in 2019 after a carers assessment recommended claiming UC but didn't seem to be eligible at that time. But I could have been doing something wrong. It was confusing because it said my claims would affect Mum and Dads benefits and I didn't want to end up making us worse off as we were managing with what we had.

That would only apply if they were both claiming the Severe Disability Premium, which they can't be because you claim Carers Allowance already.  

 If poster was not living there but claiming CA the parents would get a single SDP in the PC. However they can't get SDP in the PC because s/he lives with them.

(Coincidence that we both picked up on ptanithmillard's benefit entitlement at the same time last night!)