Carers Allowance: Claim Or Not Claim?

Carers Allowance: Claim or not claim?

Single Mum on Income Support at £64.30 weekly with a disabled child who has Middle Rate Care of DLA?

Yes claim and backdate three months. Her Income Support entitlement will increase from £65.45 weekly (Due to the value of the Carer Premium at £30.05 weekly) to £95.50 (£65.45 + £30.05) she will be paid Carers Allowance at £53.90 weekly plus the Income Support top-up at £41.60 ending up £30.05 weekly richer and if backdated a lump sum at over £400.

Single Mum who has Incapacity Benefit at £106.40 weekly, no Income Support is paid, she is paying rent at £8.42 weekly, she has a disabled child who has Middle Rate Care of DLA?

Yes claim and backdate three months. Her Income Support entitlement at this time is £93.45 which is £65.45 plus the disability premium £28, her weekly income is her Incapacity at £106.40 which is higher than the £93.45 Income Support due at this time so she is not entitled to Income Support and as she has excess income (£12.95) she is paying rent. Her new Income Support entitlement will now include the Carer Premium at £30.05 making a new total of £93.45 + £30.05 = £123.50 weekly due so she is now due Income Support at £17.10 weekly, she will no longer pay rent saving her £8.42 weekly and should get a full refund of any rent paid over the last three months, she will not actually be paid any Carers Allowance due to the Incapacity benefit paid at a higher amount but will having an underlying entitlement only.

Single female aged 62 with Retirement Pension at £97.65 weekly and a Pension Credit Guarantee top-up at £34.95 making her weekly income £132.60 lives with their disabled daughter who has High Care of DLA?

Yes claim and backdate three months, her Pension Credit will increase by the value of the Carer Premium at £30.05 weekly, she should get a lump sum due the backdating at about £400, she will not be paid any Carers Allowance having underlying entitlement only.

Couple both over 70 with Retirement Pensions at £53 weekly for her and £97.65 weekly for him, both have Attendance Allowance, they also have a Pension Credit Guarantee top up £159.05 weekly, this includes the couple rate SDP giving them £309.70 weekly (£53 + £97.65 + £159.05 = £309.70).

Yes for him no for her. He will get awarded Carers underlying only so the extra Carer premium at £30.05 weekly will be added to their on-going Pension credit award, the £30.05 will be backdated three months.

If she claims Carers she will be paid a very small amount of carers at only 90p weekly to make her RP at £53 up to the full carers amount at £53.90 weekly, this small amount of carers paid at 90p weekly will result in one SDP at £53.65 being lost weekly from their on-going Pension Credit award, they will gain the value of another Carer premium at £30.05 but this is a lot lower than the £53.65 weekly SDP lost.

Dad owns his house, no mortgage, his disabled son aged 24 has Downs Syndrome and lives at home. He has Incapacity for Youth at £106.40 weekly and DLA High Rate Care and High Rate Mobility. Dad works full-time earning over £400 weekly. He pays full Council Tax at £30 weekly.

No point as he earns far to much to claim Carers. However there are Council Tax discounts available to help dad, a carer discount worth 25% and another 25% if the son is classed as Severely Mentally Impaired (SMI) so a total discount of 50% is available from the Council Tax.