Carer's Allowance and its effect on other benefits

[neword]

Hi All

 

Last week my wife's PIP claim appears to have been sorted and according to the woman I spoke to on the phone she has been awarded standard rate for both care and mobility.

 

So we are glad it seems to have been sorted but so far we have not had written confirmation of the award so have put the payment they made aside just in case they say they made a mistake.

 

Anyway, While I was browsing the net I came across Carer's Allowance and that it is a benefit that can be paid as long as you get either rate of PIP care (it also apparently applies to DLA and some other benefits).

 

Now I have taken some time to look into this and I seem to have conflicting information with regards as to the receiving Carer's Allowance (CA) and its effect of other benefits like HB and CT.

 

Now I am is self employment but my earnings after costs are in the region of £90-£95 pw after all costs have been taken into account so according to the rule that I cannot earn more than £102 pw I should qualify for it.

 

It the effect it would have on HB and CT that I am unsure of due to conflicting information and this is where I really would like to get some clarity.

 

So if anyone could shed some light onto this possible effect on HB and CT it would be appreciated.

 

FYI: Earning after costs of £92.50 (average), Receive WTC, CT, CB and now PIP standard for both care and mobility.

We live in adapted social housing (Tenants Association) underoccupied 2 spare bedrooms

Have no savings worth mentioning (£150)

 

If someone could just try to clarify the HB and CT effects as even my landlord if iffy with information.

 

Thanks

[neword]

Oh and just thought

 

I do not want to claim this carer's allowance if at the end of the week all I have done is made work for

myself and not actually gained from it. I mean what would be the point

 

Likewise if any award for carers left me with less than £10 more per week I do not think that claiming

it given my situation would be worth it either.

[estellyn]

Does your wife claim esa for you both?

 

How much hb do you get a week?

[mmfhater]

My other half works part time about 10 hours a week and also claims careers allowance and I don't belive it counts towards housing or council tax

[neword]

#estellyn#

 

My wife does not claim esa and never has. I was on JSA for a long time and

she was included in my claim.

 

It's only in the last three months that I have gone self employed.

 

Current amount awarded for HB is full - 25% for bedroom tax

[estellyn]

As you have a full award and no income based esa or jsa, it is difficult to tell how much better off you will be - a maximum of whatever carer's allowance is, and a minimum of about £40 a week. Basically look on your housing benefit award and see what the difference is between the net income they take into account and the applicable amount and if your net income is less than your applicable amount by £61 or more then your award would stay the same.

 

How many hours do you work?

Edited September 25, 2014 by estellyn
didn't make sense

[neword]

I actually put in about 32 hours per week and I know whet your thinking HOW.

 

I have always risen early all my life and I am normally working by 4:00am

so can put in 3 hours per day before I get my wife's breakfast ready.

She then takes a nap about 2 hours in the afternoon during which I do my self employment again.

so I average about 30-35 hours a well because I also work weekend.

 

SO I actually do my se in the times when she does not need me.

During the time when she is awake I am always there for her and my se is put aside.

 

There are high costs involved in what I do so the profit is reasonably low. I love what I do

so the reward (profit) is sort of a extra.

[estellyn]

actually, I wasn't thinking anything - lots of people successfully combine SE with caring, your scenario is quite common.

[blondebubbles]

Carers allowance is classed as income for WTC purposes so that may decrease. It would depend on your income for the tax year 2013/14 and expected 2014/15 though.

[neword]

There was no income from Se but JSA, CB, CTC, HB, DLA (high mob) for 13/14 (till 17th February)

 

14/15 is a little messy as from April 5 - May 8th we had JSA, CB, CTC, HB, CT but no DLA as it had been stopped (17th February)

then from 8th May - 19th September we had SE, WTC, CTC, CT, CB. HB, but no DLA

and from 20th Sept on we had SE, WTC, CTC, CB, HB and PIP Standard for care and Mob.

 

Like I said messy

 

So this is probably going to take some sorting before we can get a rough figure.

 

Will give WTC people a call to clarify that.

Will also call the housing association as well to clarify it's effect on HB, CT as well.

[blondebubbles]

There was no income from Se but JSA, CB, CTC, HB, DLA (high mob) for 13/14 (till 17th February)

 

14/15 is a little messy as from April 5 - May 8th we had JSA, CB, CTC, HB, CT but no DLA as it had been stopped (17th February)

then from 8th May - 19th September we had SE, WTC, CTC, CT, CB. HB, but no DLA

and from 20th Sept on we had SE, WTC, CTC, CB, HB and PIP Standard for care and Mob.

 

Like I said messy

 

So this is probably going to take some sorting before we can get a rough figure.

 

Will give WTC people a call to clarify that.

Will also call the housing association as well to clarify it's effect on HB, CT as well.

 

Tax credit want to know your taxable income.

 

So for 2014/15 this would only be you SE income and if you get carers allowance.

[neword]

Didn't want to start a new thread/post so have just added this little question onto this (it's relevant)

 

Approximately 3 weeks ago we found a payment for PIP in my wifes bank account but we have not as

yet received any official letter of the award. I have phoned the DWP concerning this on 5 different occasions and have asked

for a call back as well. The 5 day deadline for the call back came and went last Friday.

Whenever I phone the person the other end justs says there's nothing on the system concerning the award...whatever...

 

Now whats is bothering me the most is that if I want to get a reconsideration of the award (my wife used to get DLA High Mob

but they only gave her standard PIP Mob) which has a time limit (30days? not sure). Will this time be from the date of the award or from

the date of the notification letter?

 

We have no back payment information either when we call them because they state the award has not been put onto the system yet.

 

SO they can make any award and get the payments onto the system but they cannot get the actual notification information sent out.

This is one weird system that really needs it's conkers squeezing to get it to work right.

[Nystagmite]

It's 30 days from the date of the letter.