Hi everyone, I’d appreciate your feedback as I’m filling in my carers allowance form and have 2 queries.
I care for my mum who was granted Attenance allowance in December but they dated it from when she applied, 15 October. Now that I’m filling in the CA form, I’ve therefore put 15 October as the date I want to claim from. At the same time they ask whether you started caring before then to which I’ve put yes, from March last year (probably it was earlier than that but I was earning much more previously). I am not expecting or asking my claim to be backdated further back than October but I wonder why they ask that.
Secondly, and mainly, they say they want self employed accounts - what exactly is meant by this?They won’t accept tax returns… Normally, I make a list of my income and expenses which I send to an accountant who then does my tax return however my just-filed tax return refers to the April 2018-2019 so wouldnt be relevant as I need to tell DWP (I think) about current and recent income which are much lower and certainly low enough to qualify for CA. But what do I actually send them - will they accept just a list of income and expenses in a word or pdf document? Does that count as "accounts’. I can’t really afford to get my accountant to do another job for me as I’ve just paid for him to do my tax return.
For now, I won’t be claiming other benefits if that’s relevant at all.
Thank you, Nina
Hi Nina.
Carers Allowance ?
From the date a qualifying benefit … Attendance Allowance … was granted.
Caring before AA was granted ?
Nothing to trigger CA being paid.
Self employed accounts required by the DWP ?
Government web site :
https://www.gov.uk/self-employed-records
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Business records if you’re self-employed.
Overview
You must keep records of your business income and expenses for your tax return if you’re self-employed as a:
sole trader.
partner in a business partnership.
You’ll also need to keep records of your personal income.
If you’re the nominated partner in a partnership, you must also keep records for the partnership.
What records to keep ?
Business records if you're self-employed: What records to keep - GOV.UK
DWP requirements with differ from those of the HM Revenue and Customs ( In old money , the DoleMan and TaxMan. )
If in any doubt , have a word directly with the DWP.
After all , they will be both your judge and jury.
( I have assume that Universal Credit has not infected your manor … yet ? )
Thanks for your reply Chris - I wasn’t quite sure what you meant by “Nothing to trigger CA being paid”…
Re the self-employed records, I know what they are supposed to include, but what it isn’t explained is the format that the DWP want the records in - they specify that they won’t accept tax returns so I am wondering if just a list in a word/pdf of income and expenses is sufficient or if it has to come from an accountant.
And you say that DWP have different requirements to HMRC which makes things even more confusing. I will try phoning DWP.
Your welcome.
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I wasn’t quite sure what you meant by "Nothing to trigger CA being paid.
To claim Carers Allowance , the caree must be in receipt of a qualifying benefit … in this case , Attendance Allowance.
Once AA is granted , it then triggers the payment of CA … not before.
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they specify that they won’t accept tax returns so I am wondering if just a list in a word/pdf of income and expenses is sufficient or if it has to come from an accountant.
I looked for that as well … and couldn’t find it … hence my recommendation to contact the DWP direct.
( I doubt that the ones starting with … Once Upon A Time … would suffice ? )
Many thanks for the clarification! I’ll give them a call
Hello Nina,
Did your Accountant give you a printed Profit and Loss Account for the tax return for 2018/19? Or it may have been called an Income and Expenditure Account?
When I have completed the forms that the DWP required re Self Employed earnings it usually asks if you have a set of accounts prepared by your accountant. They normally accepted these as proof of earnings. If they had any queries about items which the tax man allows but they do not (usually Deprecation and Capital Gains Allowances) they would write to me.
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If they had any queries about items which the tax man allows but they do not (usually Deprecation and Capital Gains Allowances) they would write to me.
Yep … as posted earlier :
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DWP requirements with differ from those of the HM Revenue and Customs ( In old money , the DoleMan and TaxMan. )
Having an accountant who is fully conversant with the benefits / allowances system is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Especially so if UC has infected your manor … a comment I tend to repeat , it’s that important.