Advice needed about universal credit/carers allowance
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi Everyone
I just wanted to ask for advice please.My ex husband stepped in and looked after me from June 2016 when i became ill and lost a lot of my mobility.I was successful in claiming PIP in the September which was when i said he should into carers allowance.He eventually did months later down the line?
My question is: i had to retire from my job (id been on sick leave most of the time) but ive moved to a bigger place and i think we both would quite like things to move back to how they used to be.Ive just been put in the limited capacity for work group......i claim ESA my husband is 61 would he be made to look for work?.....could he be put on my universal credit claim?
Thank you Deb xx
0 likes, 13 replies
AlexandriaGizmo deborah29205
Posted
Hi you said he was your X husband then later say hes your husband, am I misunderstanding your question
denise15811 deborah29205
Posted
Hi,
I'm a little confused about your post. You say you're claiming ESA but your post heading states Universal credit. Are you claiming New Style Contributions based ESA? This isn't part of UC because New style contributions based ESA isn't a means tested benefit. Are you claiming UC alongside this? are you living together as a couple and claim UC as a couple because you say ex husband to start with and then husband, so i'm confused, sorry.
deborah29205 denise15811
Posted
HI sorry yes im laiming the new esa along with universal credit....im sorry i refer to him as my husband/ex husband.... no we dont live together ....we had been seperated for 4 years (2012) then i became ill in (2016( and he sort of stepped up and looked after me.....and continues to do an awful lot for me....we have had a few conversations about the whole giving it another go but its gone no futher than that ......i had to apply for UC in july id recieved the standard rate and my rent allowance...now ive been assessed and put in the LCWRA im supposed to be recieving my 1st £323 on top of my UC allowance this month.....what i was asking was if we were to live together would i add him to my UC claim as hes 61 would they require him to look for work....or would he have to make a claim himself?......sorry for the confusion.
denise15811 deborah29205
Posted
If you plan to live together as a couple then you'll add him to your UC claim and you claim as a couple. Any income he receives from pension etc will be counted as income for the UC claim. If he claims carers allowance for looking after you then this will be deducted from the UC claim and a carers element will be added. He will not be expected to look for work because of his caring duties and all work commitments will be turned off.
nadnad deborah29205
Posted
HI THINK BEFORE ADDING HIM AS YOUR CARER AS OVER 60 YRS MAY NOT BE SUITABLE TO CARE FOR YOU
TAKE CARE
denise15811 nadnad
Posted
Nadnad, oh dear here we go again. I'm sorry but that really is terrible advice. Who stated that someone over the age of 60 can't care for another person?
deborah29205 denise15811
Posted
Thank you so much for your advice Denise xx
denise15811 deborah29205
Posted
You're welcome Deborah, my pleasure as always! xx
AlexandriaGizmo denise15811
Posted
Cant claim carers if claiming pension.
Not fair he has to do just as much
denise15811 AlexandriaGizmo
Posted
Indeed you can't but it means you get an underlying entitlement to it. This means it can mean you become entitled to pension credit if you weren't already claiming it, or if you were claiming then it's increased.
AlexandriaGizmo denise15811
Posted
Yea right as long as you are under official pension age, once you hit that lucky number and you get OAP it stops and although you could possibly be no better off financially you can lose council tax rebate and HB
denise15811 AlexandriaGizmo
Posted
No, that's not correct. Carers allowance does stop when you claim state pension because of the overlapping benefits rule but as i said you can still have an underlying entitlement to it, which could see you become entitled to pension credit because of the carers premium. As previously explained.
denise15811
Posted
While there is no upper age limit for claiming Carer's Allowance, you cannot receive the full amount of both Carer's Allowance and your State Pension at the same time. This is because Carer's Allowance and State Pensions are classed as 'overlapping benefits'. However, you might still be able to get some extra money in recognition of your caring role.
If your State Pension is less than Carer's Allowance (less than £64.60 per week) you can get the difference paid in Carer's Allowance. For example, if your State Pension is £50 per week you can get £14.60 per week in Carer's Allowance.
If your State Pension is more than Carer's Allowance (more than £64.60 per week) you cannot be paid any Carer's Allowance. However it might still be worth claiming, as you can still get an 'underlying entitlement' to Carer's Allowance. Whilst this is not financially beneficial itself, it can increase any means-tested benefits you are currently getting or mean you become entitled to means-tested benefits for the first time (depending on your and any partner's income and capital). This is because having the 'underlying entitlement' to Carer's Allowance means that a Carer Addition will be included when working out whether you are entitled to means-tested benefits.