I’m currently claiming CA for my husband and have been for a number of years whilst also claiming DLA/ PIP at enhance mobility and standard care. However, my health has deteriorated and now claiming enhanced mobility and care, although I am still giving my husband support and encouragement through his disabilities I was wondering if I should now stop claiming carers allowance. I have heard and read so many conflicting accounts of this I thought I should check. Some say that we can claim cares for each other, some say I shouldn’t be claim carers at all. I would love to hear what is right. My husband I also on ESA income related and in the support group. Thanks in advance
Talk to the Carers UK helpline, who are the experts on benefits, especially complicated issues . It’s so important you claim everything you are entitled to.
Have you both had a Needs Assessment and Carers Assessment from Social Services?
As Bowlingbun said, contact the Carers UK helpline
or as this rather complex, you can copy and past your post into an email to them
Carers UK information and 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)
They will have the up to date advice for you.
Good luck
There was a political push a while back suggesting that if you can claim Carers Allowance, you can’t be disabled enough for PIP/DLA, but thankfully that idea was dropped. That said, it’s always best to check with the Helpline as the rules change regularly, and frankly I don’t trust governments where carers are concerned.
But I do have an example as to why the government would be dead wrong. I knew a couple (both sadly departed some years now), both of whom had severely arthritic knees - to the point where they couldn’t dress their lower halves themselves. But they did manage a system so they could each help the other one.