New to universal credit & Carer

alibaba24

Hi, I have a child who is disabled and receiving middle-rate DLA, and I also receive carer allowance as a full-time carer.

We both parents are looking after the child where only one receives carer allowances, etc., and we want to know if my wife needs to work as she is also caring for her unpaid as my child requires attention 24 hours a day due to the nature of the problem.

New to UC and they asked my wife to come for work commitments things to attend in person. 

Pls advice

8dayweek

Generally speaking, only one person can be the “carer” for benefits purposes. 

If you are the recipient of the Carers Allowance / UC Carers Element this wouldn’t extend to your Wife also being assumed to be a Carer. 

I would suggest your Wife attends and explains the current level of care your Child requires, as the Work Coach will have discretion to apply easements etc. 

What are your wider circumstances? Are there other Children in the household? If so, what age are they? Have you migrated from a legacy benefit like Income Support? 

alibaba24

8dayweek said:

Generally speaking, only one person can be the “carer” for benefits purposes. 

If you are the recipient of the Carers Allowance / UC Carers Element this wouldn’t extend to your Wife also being assumed to be a Carer. 

I would suggest your Wife attends and explains the current level of care your Child requires, as the Work Coach will have discretion to apply easements etc. 

What are your wider circumstances? Are there other Children in the household? If so, what age are they? Have you migrated from a legacy benefit like Income Support? 

Yes, we migrated from legacy benefits but never took income support.

I have 3 children, ages 9/13 and 15. My child needs 24 hours of attention with regards to medicine and treatment, and all the tests have been happening each week at the hospital; sometime in the night we need to stay awake for her.

So we both have to keep an eye on her.  As advice i will try to explain it to the case worker at the appointment, hope they will let me stay with her at the interview.