Left my employment to care for husband

poppy12345

That's correct that you can't claim carers allowance or carers element for your husband unless he's awarded daily living PIP. This is why I mentioned claiming carers element for looking after his father because you said your husband no longer claims it. 

TheShape

OP, you state that you've made UC aware of your caring and told them numerous times.  Have you actually declared the caring responsibilities through your account?  When you do this they then check if the cared for person is claiming a relevant benefit and that no one else is claimant Carer's Allowance for looking after them.

You have to declare it and they have to verfiy it.

Teapot55

Sorry it’s a bit of a read, but hoping the following will help . . .

Pip is not means tested. The wait is 18 months for a new claim.  Make sure you use the points table of descriptors found at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/Global/Migrated_Documents/adviceguide/pip-9-table-of-activities-descriptors-and-points.pdf 

Your husband needs to upload a fit note from your GP. If you can get one for 3 months this will trigger a limited capability for work assessment. This will be much quicker. Once that is decided there is a limited capability for work element of £416.19.

With regard to claiming carers allowance there are two things worth noting. 

    1.    Carers allowance will reduce your UC by the same amount 

    2.    Claiming carers allowance  will ensure that you will get your national insurance stamp paid for so it does not impact your own pension contributions. If your husband gets pip awarded you can claim carers element either for him or for your father in law. 

If you claim carers allowance also make sure that you add caring responsibilities through your UC journal. 

Your nil award will show you what income comes in and what goes out. At the moment it’s highly likely that you are only being awarded the element for a couple over 25 which is £617.60. Until you claim carers allowance you will not get the carers element so you will have a lower income threshold.

If you rent your property make sure UC are aware of the costs as they may well cover some of the rent. Unfortunately I’m not sure how much but it’s normally based upon your local housing allowance which you can find on your council website.  Here is guidance on housing costs 

https://www.gov.uk/housing-and-universal-credit/property-you-own 

Spoonie_Turtle

Teapot55 said:

    2.    Claiming carers allowance  will ensure that you will get your national insurance stamp paid for so it does not impact your own pension contributions. If your husband gets pip awarded you can claim carers element either for him or for your father in law. 

If you claim carers allowance also make sure that you add caring responsibilities through your UC journal. 

Your nil award will show you what income comes in and what goes out. At the moment it’s highly likely that you are only being awarded the element for a couple over 25 which is £617.60. Until you claim carers allowance you will not get the carers element so you will have a lower income threshold.

No that's not correct.  Someone just has to meet the criteria - caring for 35hrs or more per week for a person claiming a qualifying benefit - to claim the carer element.  Carers Allowance is deducted in full from UC so there's no immediate financial benefit. 

CA credits the person with class 1 NI credits, but UC credits with class 3 so it's not necessary to claim CA for credits towards their state pension.  (Though class 1 credits go towards some other contributory benefits that class 3 don't.)

But yes, either way OP needs to add caring responsibilities through their journal.

rosewalk

I think that what is being suggested is that you claim Carers Allowance for your FIL as long as long as this doesn't affect any benefits that he is claiming. You can't claim Carers Allowance for your husband as he does not receive PIP.