Hi all
I need some advice regarding Carers Allowance and working.
I’ve just had to return back to work due to dwindling funds and a falling down house and have a temporary, part-time position working as a 1:1 in a local primary school.
My salary is £532 a month which is obviously and annoyingly just £20 over the allowed earnings limit. My benefits have been suspended and i’m now getting the required documents together.
My son gets home from school before I finish my shift and 1 day a week I pay for either my sister or my nephew to be here and collect him from his taxi and wait with him until i get home. This is not a set day as it’s based on my whatever day my husband is in a meeting and i just basically chuck them £20 for their petrol and time.
I know we are allowed to use childcare as a deduction but my question is, does it matter that it’s so ad-hoc? I’ve been sent a form that asks for the deduction information but it seems quite formal, obviously i dont issue them with a payslip or anything.
I am so worried that I will lose my allowance when im such a small amount over the threshold and once i’ve taken the childcare into account, i’m actually under it anyway.
Thanks so much for any advice you may have
Stacy x
Hello Stacy
Have you tried our helpline? It would be worth contact them on 0808 808 7777 Mon- Fri 9am - 6pm, they’ll be able to give you some advice.
Best wishes
Ingrid
Hi Stacy
This is an old thread but read the reply by Chris
You can also take off up to half of your earnings (after the above deductions if they apply) for amounts you pay to someone to look after either a child under 16 who you or your partner get child benefit for, or the person you are the carer for, when you are at work (so long as you pay someone other than a close relative).
What you said…I pay for either my sister or my nephew
If your earnings after deductions vary, you may still be able to claim CA for the weeks when they are below the £120 limit. The DWP also has the discretion to average your earnings over a five-week period, or a ‘recognisable cycle of work’ if you have one.
This is last year but follow the advice by Ingrid.
Thank you so much! Excellent advice which I’ll get on to today. X