Carer's Allowance and PIP - married couple ?

[liverpoolluke]

My wife has been on pip for sometime now, I recently found out and applied for carer's allowance and have been receiving carer's for my wife for about 3 month's (she has ME as her main disability)

 

During a recent visit to CAB on one of my bad day's they suggested I should be entitled to pip myself with my medical condition's and amount of pill's I take daily, I applied thinking I wouldn't get anything (knowing the problem's my wife has been through to get her awards and knowing the government cut's all the time)

 

I got a SMS message from DWP telling me I have been awarded pip don't as yet have the letter so not sure of what my entitlements are (I'm assuming low lever of care component which is what my wife is entitled to)

 

So now I have been awarded pip myself would it be wise for me to give up my carer's allowance entitlement ?

 

We do help each other out, I have difficulties bending down, wife has difficulties cutting food ect she is very forgetful at times due to ME (these are just a few highlighted examples)

[reallymadwoman]

PIP won't affect your carer's allowance at all, you can still claim for helping your wife - so long as the disability you are claiming for wouldn't imply that you couldn't do 35 hours a week caring. It is also now possible for someone to claim carer's allowance for helping you, and that could be your wife. I would check how it might affect any other benefits before she claimed though.

[liverpoolluke]

Thanks for your input, there are things we do for each other from the wasit down due to illness or pains so maybe worth looking into regarding claiming for each other

[reallymadwoman]

Please get advice on how any claim would affect your current benefits first - you don't want to end up worse off!

[id6052]

if you are pensioners, you should claim underlying entitlement to carer premium

 

if you are working age and receiving ESAIR, IS or JSAIB, you should cease claiming carers allowance, as couple rate of severe disability premium is worth £50 or £60 quid more than couple rate of carer premium