How do i go about ending my work to claim carers element?

fitzykev

Can anyone tell me the process of ending work and applying for carers element on top of a uni credit claim. This is something unfortunetly i need to do out of necessity to care for my parents. Do you claim carers element then hand your notice to work or vice versa?

Spoonie_Turtle

You can claim carers element as soon as you are providing enough care per week to qualify.

fitzykev

Spoonie_Turtle said:

You can claim carers element as soon as you are providing enough care per week to qualify.

My mother was caring for my father who recieves attendances allowance. But unfortunetly she to four seizures on the 2nd of april and it turns out she has lung cancer which has spread to the brain. I have had to stop work to care for them both. There has been a few things that needed  reported on my claim to make sure it is all correct. I am just not sure do i hand my notice first then apply for carers element. Or apply wait until its in place then give my notice?

Spoonie_Turtle

fitzykev said:

Spoonie_Turtle said:

You can claim carers element as soon as you are providing enough care per week to qualify.

My mother was caring for my father who recieves attendances allowance. But unfortunetly she to four seizures on the 2nd of april and it turns out she has lung cancer which has spread to the brain. I have had to stop work to care for them both. There has been a few things that needed  reported on my claim to make sure it is all correct. I am just not sure do i hand my notice first then apply for carers element. Or apply wait until its in place then give my notice?

It doesn't matter which way round, because you qualify for the carer element as soon as you start giving 35+hrs of care.  Even if you're working (or still employed but on leave), if you're providing that much care as well you still qualify for it.

I don't think you report ending work until your employment actually ends though, based on the principle that UC doesn't go by changes that haven't happened yet.  But others here will know for certain and can confirm or correct.

So if you have to give up work first before you can give that much care per week, it'd be a case of reporting ending work on the day you finish, then (presumably the next day) reporting caring for someone. 
But if you're already caring for them on top of working, you can report that asap and may even be able to get it backdated to when you first started caring for your dad.

huckster

Report caring first, which once verified puts your UC claim in No work related requirements. Then report the change to work and earnings on the date of leaving employment.

fitzykev

i am just worried thats for some reson they will say i dont qualify for carers element then i am out of work without the carers element.

NedS

If you are caring 35h/week for someone in receipt of a qualifying benefit (daily living component of PIP/DLA or Attendance Allowance), and no one else is already claiming as their carer, then you should be awarded the carers element. DWP will perform the required benefit checks on the person you are caring for.

huckster

I think you really need to speak to family about giving up work based on current circumstances. The jobs market is very challenging at the moment with more job seekers than vacancies. And this may be the situation for a while.

I have come across many people who have given up work to care for someone and then the person dies, so they lose the Carers benefit amounts. And then they struggle finding employment. Unfortunately  it appears employers are not great at accepting gaps in employment due to caring. They just see someone who has not been employed for a period. 

I would suggest speaking to current employers about flexible working, now that flexible working is something employers have to consider when this is applied for.