Confused about UC/Carers allowance

Bluetooth77

My situation
Before August 2026 worked reduced hours (Min income floor £1080)
UC award £335 month

24th August, became carer for partner (end of life cancer care 6-12 months left)
35hrs plus week reduced work hours to 5 a week.
Macmillion nurses have applied for fast tracked PIP (waiting 5 months already, 8 months for blue badge)
Have applied for carers allowance from 24th and carers element UC
Given my hours reduced to 5 per work, will UC factor this in and drop my MIF so I receive more credit or keep it the same and factor in the carers allowance and carers element UC?
It's all a bit confusing
thanks

tomtom256

Once the caring is verified the MIF will be removed as you will move into no work related requirements.

born_again

Have applied for carers allowance from 24th and carers element UC

While you can have both, You do not get both amounts in your pocket.

The carers element of UC is added to your UC entitlement & then the carers allowance is then deducted from the UC amount.

whizzywoo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82130820#Comment_82130820

There is a small benefit to claiming both though, as I understand it. The Carers' Allowance is paid separately every 4 weeks to the UC and may help cash flow. Also you get National Insurance Contributions paid on Carers' Allowance, not sure how NI contributions work on UC.

KxMx

Both pay NI Contributions, Carers Allowance pays class 1 & UC pays class 3. Both count towards state pension.

Robbie64

It's possible to opt to be paid Carers Allowance each week instead of every four weeks.

In addition, if a person claiming Carers Allowance subsequently needs to claim ESA then the first contribution condition can be relaxed to make it easier to get ESA. I don't think this rule applies where someone only received the carers element in UC.

NedS

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82130885#Comment_82130885

There can also be a detriment too as Carers Allowance is taxable income whereas UC is not, so if CA is in payment and deducted in full from UC, and the claimant had already earned enough in the current tax year to use up their tax free personal allowance, then they will be paying 20% income tax on their CA whilst deductions from UC are for the full gross amount.

Bluetooth77

My understanding is they do not pay out carer related costs unless the partner is receiving PIP is that correct, so even waiting on a fast tracked decision, they will not change the UC amount.

Robbie64

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82131218#Comment_82131218

PIP has to be in payment to the person being cared for, before Carer's Allowance and UC carers element can be paid.