Hiya all,
Newbie here and first post.
I’ve just claimed carers allowance as I look after my autistic daughter. She gets UC with the incapable of work increase. She got a letter to say if my claim is successful she will lose or get a reduced amount of the severe disability premium. We’re confused now as I don’t want to claim CA if it affects her UC in any way.
Will me getting CA mean her UC will be reduced in any way?
Hi & welcome David
Have a read …
https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-benefits/universal-credit
Severe disability premium
You must get the disability premium or income-related ESA, and one of the following qualifying benefits:
PIP daily living component
AFIP
DLA care component at the middle or highest rate
Attendance Allowance (or Constant Attendance Allowance paid with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or War Pension)
You usually cannot have anyone aged 18 or over living with you, unless they’re in one of these situations:
they get a qualifying benefit
they’re registered blind
they’re a boarder or subtenant (but not a close relative)
they make separate payments to the landlord
You cannot get the severe disability premium if someone is getting Carer’s Allowance or the carers element of Universal Credit for looking after you.
Thanks for your reply. I’ve read all of those links and they do not answer my query(or if they do I can’t find it). I just need to know if the incapable of work increase on my daughters UC is affected by me claiming CA?
My daughter thinks not as she doesn’t get the SDP and the letter she’s received does not specifically mention UC only (JS)ESA.
I don’t get any benefits myself as I work part time and have savings which disallows me.
David I would give Carers UK helpline a call.
Gave them a ring. Said they couldn’t help. Suggested I ring another charity helpline called ‘Turn to us’. Rang them. Couldn’t help either. They suggested I contact a benefit adviser at the Citizens Advice Bureau.
OK, I think I may have sorted it out.
Went on the TTU website and input all my daughters details in the ‘are you entitled to UC’ calculator.
I answered ‘yes’ to ‘does anyone get CA for looking after you’ and it came back with the exact amount of UC my daughter gets.
Obviously now we’ll have to see if the DWP come to the same conclusion.
Sorry you have had a bit of a run around.
I think the fact you have been signposted on several times. Is an indication on how complicated UC can be. And people don’t want to give you the wrong information.
On the old system I suspect you would have got the correct answer. To any query you might have. But UC is still relatively new and can/is complicated.