Hi,
I’m a carer for my 73 year of Mum. I’ve just read that unpaid Welsh carers will shortly be getting a one-off payment of £500.00.
I also receive Employment Support Allowance, which is greater than my Carer’s Allowance. This therefore means that even though I am entitled to Carer’s Allowance, the DWP don’t actually pay me the money, as they class it as an “overlapping benefit” but I have been told that I still have the underlying entitlement to Carer’s Allowance.
Will I still be entitled to the £500.00 one-off payment?
Also, if I am entitled to this payment, will the DWP take some of it back because I get ESA?
Hello Tudor
I would suggest you contact our helpline should you need advice or support - Our Telephone Helpline is available on 0808 808 7777 from Monday to Friday, 9am – 6pm or you can contact us by email (advice@carersuk.org). I’ll also forward your query to them and private message you the response when it lands.
thank you
Ingrid
Hello & welcome
Note for Scotland
In addition to Carer’s Allowance, if you live in Scotland and are receiving Carer’s Allowance on particular dates (12 April and 11 October 2021), you may be entitled to an additional payment called the Carer’s Allowance Supplement. Payments are made every six months by Social Security Scotland as long as you continue to qualify for Carer’s Allowance. This year there is an additional amount to help in the light of the pandemic.
If you are receiving Carer’s Allowance on the qualifying date, you will receive this. You do not need to do anything; eligible carers, living in Scotland and receiving Carer’s Allowance on the qualifying date, will be paid automatically and will receive a letter from Social Security Scotland.
From the web site not showing Wales as yet. I suspect it will be similar.
Carer’s Allowance and other benefits
Overlapping benefits
You cannot usually be paid Carer’s Allowance if you receive one or more of the following benefits:
State Pension
contributory Employment and Support Allowance
Incapacity Benefit
Maternity Allowance
Bereavement or widow’s benefits
Severe Disablement Allowance
contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
This is because of the ‘overlapping benefits’ rules.
This means that if you are getting more than the amount of Carer’s Allowance from one of the above benefits, you cannot be paid Carer’s Allowance, however you can still claim an ‘underlying entitlement’ to Carer’s Allowance.
To claim an ‘underlying entitlement’ to Carer’s Allowance you have to meet all of the conditions for Carer’s Allowance and you must still make a claim for Carer’s Allowance.
Having an ‘underlying entitlement’ to Carer’s Allowance can increase any means-tested benefits you are already getting or might mean you become entitled to means-tested benefits for the first time. This is because the carer premium, carer addition or carer element can be included in the calculation for means-tested benefits.
However, if any of the benefits listed above are paid at less than the amount of Carer’s Allowance, you could be paid a small amount of Carer’s Allowance on top of the other benefit you get.
As Ingrid has stated you still can call the helpline.
Hello Tudor
I contacted our adviceline on your behalf, they’ve provided a response, I’ve sent you the response in a private message.
Please check your inbox.
Good luck
thanks
Ingrid