Carers Allowance under Labour

egarobar

What about the fact that a carer who is entitled to CA gets £0 when they reach pension age?! Surely that should be fixed as well,  not just the cliff edge referred to above..

Spoonie_Turtle

egarobar said:

What about the fact that a carer who is entitled to CA gets £0 when they reach pension age?! Surely that should be fixed as well,  not just the cliff edge referred to above..

Carers of pension age may be entitled to Pension Credit more than non-carers, as a carer premium is added to their calculation.  This means that a pensioner can have more income and still be entitled to some PC if they are a carer.

The premium is less than Carers Allowance, but the thresholds for entitlement to Pension Credit are already much higher than for working age means-tested benefits.

egarobar

Thanks, but that's not helpful for those who have savings above the Pension Credit threshold - we still miss out on the Carer's Allowance that we got before getting the State Pension. And that doesn't seem fair.

Spoonie_Turtle

There is no set threshold for Pension Credit.  It's a means-tested benefit that takes into account all means of living, with a deduction of £1 per week for every £500 of savings (or part thereof) over £10,000.  So an individual claim's threshold for savings will depend on exactly what income they have and their situation, such as being a carer, responsible for a child, disabled person living alone or treated as living alone, etc.  The carer premium raises the eligibility threshold, both in terms of income and savings.

Carers Allowance is a benefit that overlaps with and will be deducted from other income-replacement benefits, so people on ESA, JSA, UC, etc. don't get extra from claiming CA either.  This isn't a phenomenon exclusive to pensioners.

born_again

egarobar said:

Thanks, but that's not helpful for those who have savings above the Pension Credit threshold - we still miss out on the Carer's Allowance that we got before getting the State Pension. And that doesn't seem fair.

Such is life. I'm afraid. 

Many that hold savings just above threshold, could just spend some to bring it below. If it is a long way above, then that will be a lot harder.

The reason you do not get carers is explained in the letter they send on this, when reaching pension age.
It is because your pension is higher than the carers amount. Just the same as people who work & get paid more than the limit.
Although you still are treated as a carer for other benefits such as council tax reductions. 

poppy12345

egarobar said:

Thanks, but that's not helpful for those who have savings above the Pension Credit threshold - we still miss out on the Carer's Allowance that we got before getting the State Pension. And that doesn't seem fair.

Carers allowance also affects other means tested benefits for those that claim them. It is always deducted in full, then carers premium is added to their other benefits.