Carers Allowance decision query

Benefits, finances and funding
1

Hi All,

I really do hope everyone is keeping as well as they can.

After a change of circumstance I contacted the Carers Allowance benefits department. They immediately suspended payment. Change of circumstance was back to how it was before and CA was reinstated.
I did not expect any backpayment ( and have not recieved any) after the suspension and any investigations for decisions. However the letter I received was a liitle different. Can anyone make sense of it or any clarifications. I did call them and the person who answered stated it was because of" after the 28 days your not entitled to carers allowance benefit." Which I already knew. See below the quote from the letter (I made changes in brackets)

Dear …

We have looked again at the facts and evidence we used to make our decision. As a result we have changed the decision.
You are not entitled from (the dates after the 28 days). This is because (the person I care for) did not get an appropriate disability benefit.


Maybe it is the wording but it is just the “did not get an appropriate disability benefit.” that made me frown. “Changed the decision” did not help matters either.
The person I care for is in receipt of ESA and DLA (middle rate) and obviously that was suspended due to change of circumstance but has since been reinstated.


Besides that we are all still hibernating.

Erolly

2

You could try contacting them to try get an explanation but I personally would go straight to mandatory reconsideration, easier if you can get CAB to help.

3

Thanks G Fraser_1612 especially with the additional information.

It would be good to get someone knowledgeable on the phone within the Carers Allowance department instead of someone who may be reading the script or who is unsure.

Extremely busy with loads of things happening at the same time. It does not rain but it pours. Here’s for hoping for some sunshine in between.

Erolly

4

Erolly,
My closest friend used to work for DWP and at one time managed a telephone team.
Make sure you write down the name of the person you speak to at the BEGINNING of the call.
At any time, you can say “I’m not happy with your answer. Please may I speak to your line manager?”
They should then put you through or arrange a call back.
If someone accidentally (on purpose) mucks up the transfer, and the call drops out, you can ring back again, and say “X didn’t transfer me properly. This shows an urgent need for further training…”
Keep saying to be put through to successive line managers until you get a proper answer.
This really works. Just remember to ask and write down the name of who you speak to.
That’s the key to it. Then they know that you mean business.