Carers allowance

Can somebody please clarify for me what carers allowance is about? My hubby cares for me 24/7. Only because he is unemployed which has turned out to be fortunate, can I get through the day. Because he doesn’t have to be up for work in the morning, he doesn’t suffer getting me up in the night to use the commode and change bed position. DLA is applied for but what is carers allowance? Is it a premium on top for hubby, for me, is is deducted from other benefits or what? Thanks Pat

carers allowance is for the person who does the caring.

i dont know how it would affect your hubbys benefits or how to apply for it but there’ll be somebody who knows along soon

carole x

I think if you get DLA middle or high rate care then your carer (hubby) can apply for carers allowance if he spends more than 35 hours a week looking after you. Have a look here https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/overview

go speak to the Citizen advice bureau, they will tell you about benefits.

Hi Pat, what floopy said is right.I was on dla care middle rate for ages before we knew that my partner (of 26yrs) could claim carers allowance. once that was okd we then went on income support.he gets money for him and me, extra for me being disabled. they say how much you can live on per week and then deduct what he gets on the carers allowance. Go for it Pat.

The only problem is after 6months they will call you both in about getting back into work. My partner went friday. once confirmed that he is a carer that was ok, lady ringing me this fiday to confirm.

Lisa x

If the claimant is getting another benefit (like ESA or a pension) then carer’s allowance is not paid.

BUT you can have what is called underlying entitlement which means you would be eligible to premiums on HB, CTB etc. even though carers is not actually being paid.

Once your DLA award is through if you get middle or higher rate care your husband can apply for carer’s.

One way they can pay it is to give your husband carer’s allowance and top it up with income support – that way your husband would stop signing on because he is not available for work if he is looking after you.

Jane

There isn’t actually a dependants amount with ESA so what is probably happening is you are getting ESA for yourself and it is topped up by Income support to the grand sum of £112.55 for the two of you.

It’s true that the carer’s allowance of 50 odd quid would not be paid, they pay the highest benefit but there are advantages to applying even if you don’t actually get the award.

  1. You would get a premium on your Income Support – this is an extra amount paid because you are a carer – it depends on your circumstances but it could be up to £30
  2. There is a similar premium on Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit
  3. If you are claiming HB and live in a council property there may be some leeway with bedroom tax.
  4. The need to keep visiting the JC every 6 months will be reduced – if you are a carer you are clearly not going to work so they should stop hassling you about it.

Hopefully your DLA award will be a good one and that should help a little financially.

Jane

DLA is not means tested so any award should not impact on ESA. As Wendels has said Carers allowance would be affected [nothing to do with DLA] but going on your current income I think you would get something, so apply for Carers Allowance and DLA.

My husband is my carer, and when I was granted dla for help with personal care he apparently became entitled to claim carers allowance. However, he is in receipt of a government “benefit” already - his old age pension!! So they won’t pay him carer’s allowance. Don’t know if similar rules may apply if your husband is already in receipt of a government “benefit.”

Hi Pat

If you Google Benefits Adviser, then click on the link to the www.gov.uk site you will be able to enter your personal details. This will then give you an good indicator of what benefits you/your husband may be entitled to apply for.

Your local MS Society may well have someone who could talk to you about entitlements.

Regards