Carers element UC question

Beki88

Mum is in receipt of high rate PIP care, low mobility as she is over pension age. Also gets state pension and pension credits. She does get her rent and council tax covered but not sure if she receives any disability  premiums or if she is just covered as standard - which I think it is just standard. 
My sister in law works full time but is also proving care for my mum for at least 35 hours a week as she's been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Her earnings mean she can't get carers allowance but from reading she would be entitled to the carers premium of UC is my understanding correct? Would that affect any of the PIP or pension that my mum gets? I couldn't find a clear answer but I've had to do a lot of reading recently so may have missed something.
I understand it could affect the rent and council tax only if she gets the premium but as I say I don't think she does. Thanks for your help. 

nannytone_2

As your mum gets pension credit, She would be receiving the severe disability premium. If your sister-in-law claims the carers element of universal credit,your mum would lose  this

poppy12345

nannytone_2 said:

As your mum gets pension credit, She would be receiving the severe disability premium.

We don't know if the pension credit includes the SDP because we don't know anything about the mothers circumstances. Some people are entitled to PC but not to SDP.

OP if your mother lives alone or is treated as living alone. (all adults living with her are either claiming a qualifying disability benefit such as PIP daily living, DLA mid/high rate care, ADP daily living or AA or they are registered blind) Then PC should include the SDP. As advised by nannytone a claim for carers element would end the SDP, which could then affect their housing benefit and Council tax reduction.

As a side note, someone can only claim carers element of UC if they claim UC. If they don't claim it and there's no entitlement then they can't claim CE because it's not a separate benefit, it's part of UC.

Alice_Holt

As poppy says the first step is to understand your mother's situation and her benefit entitlement.

Does she live alone (per poppy's Q)?

If so: 

Look at her PC entitlement - is she in receipt of a £76.40 additional severe disability premium?



Your SIL  should consider claiming PIP herself - I suggest she contacts Macmillan for advice from a Welfare Rights Adviser.
Or if I have misread your post (is she your SIL or MIL?), if your MIL then she could contact Macmillan -  there may be the possibility of a grant. Once the adviser fully understands your MIL's PC entitlement, they may be able to advise on the consequences of a CA claim by your SIL.  
https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/financial-and-work/welfare-rights-advice

If your SIL claims UC then all household income and savings are taken into account. She cannot claim as a single person if married.

Beki88

Thank you for the replies. Sorry if my post didn't make much sense. We only found out about the terminal cancer last Thursday so it's been a bit of a week. And it's my mum that has the cancer. My SIL has been caring for her (as well as my sister and I but neither of us can get the carers). My SIL gets UC some months depending on how much my brother earns.

The only letter I have for mum's pension credits is from last April's increase and states she will get pension credit guaranteed credit which was for £66.85. She gets £147.20 paid fortnightly which shows as PC currently. She only got awarded the high rate care PIP 2 months ago so not sure if that's changed anything? And yes she lives alone. So it does sound like she would lose out then. I will get on touch with macmillan, they are supposed to be speaking to her or visiting soon but as I say its only been a week since we found out. Thanks ever so much for the help. 

Newcad

Macmillan are very good at sorting things like this out.

Plus they will be able to see letters and so on that we can't see on a forum.

My sympathies about your mums diagnosis.