Hi,
Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen, my husband has reached state pension age, and has been claiming carers allowance for me for over 10 years.
This morning he has received a letter from DWP saying that they are stopping his carers allowance as he is getting state pension.
My MS hasn’t changed, I still need the same amount of care, was wondering if this is normal practice when you reach state pension age.
Any advice would be really helpful before we ring them on Monday
thanks for reading
aunts fluffy
Hi, the following webpage answers this question.
I believe it’s the norm. Here in Ireland it is. The thinking is if he was employed full time, earning an income, he wouldn’t be a carer. Being your carer is his “employment” as such, and he is paid by the state. Once he’s of pensionable age, he is no longer “employed” but claims state pension.
My husband will be in the same position in two years. No longer “employed” and receiving carers allowance but…a pensioner and still my carer.
It’s all just a paper exercise.
I think it’s the usual thing. You don’t get carer’s allowance (or the amount is reduced) if your income is over a certain level. Benefits count as income so I presume the State Pension is treated the same way.
By “you” in my answer above I meant the carer, not the person who needs the care. Any income the cared for person receives is not relevant to whether the carer gets carer’s allowance.
It`s true!
My hubby lost his carer`s allowance when he went onto state pension…even though he still cares for me.
But he did get a little bonus added to his pension…cant remember what it was. and I dont know how come he got it!
ask the pensions dept.
pollsx
There are some rules about benefits which cannot be claimed simultaneously. One of these is carers allowance and state retirement pension. It is to do with being of working age and spending a lot of time caring for a person, it’s essentially to replace any lost earnings because of hours spent caring. They call this ‘overlapping benefits’.
However, if you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, or any other means tested benefit, i.e. guarantee pension credit, then the amount you get can be increased because you have an ‘underlying entitlement’ to carers allowance.
Have a look at Benefits for carers of pension age - Carers UK
And if you need more help, maybe in applying for other benefits, try your local CAB.
Sue
Fluffy he needs to claim for pension credit contact the welfare rights department at your council they will keep him right and make sure both of you get what your entighteld to .
In fact, the Pension Service are often very helpful with claims for benefits for people of pension age. They would be who you’d approach to make a claim for Pension Credit. As far as I know, they often visit people in their own home.
Sue
I think they assume that someone in receipt of Carer’s Allowance would have been doing paid work if they weren’t spending all their time doing caring - so the allowance is to compensate in a (very!) small way for that. Once a person is getting Old Age Pension, that rationale no longer applies.
Alison
Thanks everyone for your replies, DWP have said that my husband will now still get carers allowance, but in name only no money, but it can help with other benefits if you are recieving carers allowance if only by name.
aunty fluffy
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It’s all to do with the amount of money you can be entitled to for means tested benefits (i.e., those which are based on the amount of income you have and the amount the DWP state you ‘need’ to live on). These benefits include the Guarantee element of Pension Credit as well as Housng and Council Tax Benefit.
Because your OH was entitled to Carers Allowance immediately before he became eligible for his State Pension, but cannot receive both, he retains what is called an ‘underlying entitlement’ to Carers Allowance.
This means that when the calculation for Pension Credit (Guarantee element) is done, it’s based on you requiring more income than if you didn’t have the underlying entitlement to Carers Allowance.
Sue
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CARERS’ ALLOWANCE AND STATE PENSION
If you are receiving CA when you reach your retirement age, and your state pension is higher than CA, your CA will stop. If your state pension is less than CA, your state pension is topped up with CA to the basic rate of CA £62.10. If your state pension is higher than CA a carer addition of £34.60 is included in the calculation of your pension credit, and a carer premium of £34.60 is included in the calculation of Housing Benefit and Local Council Tax Support.
State Pension entitlement is built up through the National Insurance system. Many parents and carers do not pay National Insurance contributions when they are not working, or when their earnings are low.
It is now possible for parents and carers to build up entitlement to a State Pension through a system of credits. Usually, for each week you get Carer’s Allowance or the underlying entitlement you also get National Insurance Credits and contributions to your Additional State Pension. You may be eligible for a credit in a given week if one of the following applies:
Read More Carers Allowance & Attendance Allowance :-
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http://www.helpandcare.org.uk/factsheets/carers-allowance/carers-allowance-factsheet/carers-allowance-and-state-pension/
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Attendance Allowance Eligibility - How to Claim from Age Space
My hubby recently got a carer`s grant of £300 for a break away.
He also applied for a new carer`s payment of £20 a week. We dont know if the £300 was an accumulated amount for the weekly allowance.
Hubby has tried to phone the person dealing with it, but can never get through.
pollsx
Does that come from the Council Poll? Part of your DP package? Cos if so it’ll be means tested. But if not, I might get Mr Sssue to apply when he reaches 65 (only a few months to go).
Sue x