Hi everyone, I have been caring for my husband (who’s 73) for the past 4 yrs now. He’s currently in receipt of the highest rate of Attendance Allowance. I am 59 and because we are a mixed age couple we have been advised to claim Universal Credit as we cannot re claim pension credit as our circumstances changed very briefly and therefore we lost our entitlement. So I really do not know whether to claim Carers Allowance or Universal Credit. I don’t know whether we are entitled to any health care costs, ie dentist etc All we receive is his basic state pension and his attendance allowance. I don’t work other than caring for him. Does Carers allowance affect attendance allowance? Are we entitled to get a countcl tax reduction? So many questions, yet I’m finding it so difficult to get any real information and advice i feel totally lost.
Welcome to the forum.
Carers UK has a helpline which can give really good information to carers. Years ago, they made me £50 a week better off!
Can I ask what is the matter with your husband, as this may affect some entitlements.
Have Social Services done a Needs Assessment for your husband, and a Carers Assessment for you? If not, be sure to arrange these as well.
Hi and thank you for your reply. I did ring the phone line, the lovely lady I spoke to basically advised me to call the attendance allowance team and also the care allowance team with my queries as she wasn’t 100% sure. I’ve spent the -past 3 days hanging on the phone hoping to get some clear advice and information. I will try again tomorrow 
My husband has a number of health conditions, mobility, incontinence, but we haven’t had any assessment done by the social services? Not aware of any of this. Thanks for your information, I shall add it to my list of questions when I finally am able to get answers.
I’m surprised the Helpline coudn’t supply the information you needed.
See if the there is a disability advice service in your area.
Another option, if you can get to a library, is to get a copy of the Disability Rights Handbook, published by Disability Rights UK. My copy is too old to give you the right advice, I’m afraid.
Try a benefits calculator and type in with carers allowance …
and without and see what it tell you.
Calculators are a guide and until you apply you will not really know.
You will only know re: UC until you apply. Which isn’t very helpful. UC credit is quite complicated and there isn’t many people who are able to advice. Old style benefits were much easier to follow.
Sadly as you say you were considered until a small change happened a non mixed aged couple.
You could try Local Citizens Advice
There are many mixed aged couples who are still unaware of the above.