Hi everyone. Mum got a phone call the other day from the pension credit unit. Apparently I'm not allowed to claim carers allowance as mum is on the high rate pension credit. That has a DLA in it..Who knew that! Wouldn't you have thought they would have checked it before allowing the claim. So I now have to pay it back..I did not know that although mum has Attendence Allowance it's the high rate pension credit that stops the carers allowance for me. If I didn't stop it then mum would lose £76 a week which she couldn't manage. I have been told that I can do mum's washing etc for nothing.( Mum doesn't have a washing machine) I love the advice coming from the Pension Credit people...
No longer able to claim carers allowance.
- Thread starter TNJJ
- Start date
i knew that. we have pension credit and we get the higher rate because neither claims carers allowance so they give us more money i suppose to cover it. now both partners have to be pensionable age but when we started the claim, only one had to be pensionable age so they have continued ours although im 12 years from any pension.
2 months. I have no objection to paying it back but I don't know the in and outs of all the benefits. Even some of the benefit people don't know.
Obviously your fault for not using your spare time to study
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1979/597
in detail !!!!!!!!!!!
wew didnt know about the higher rate until we received a letter to say we are owed the higher rate because we dont claim carers. i think it was a good year before they realized. we didnt know it existed and glad they told us.
they are quick enough to claim back over payment but very slow at paying what they owe to claimants. we never claimed it because its taken into account with other benefits like housing benefit and council tax
They are very slow. I didn't realise that DLA in the higher rate was because mum lives on her own. She is not disabled as in a wheelchair but slow due to heart failure.They have never sent mum a letter explaining.
Hi @SherwoodSue - the issue here is that if a person with dementia is getting AA/DLA/PIP plus pension credit, then if someone else claims Carers Allowance for looking after them, then the person with dementia loses their pension credit (but not the Attendance Allowance/DLA/PIP).
So in these circumstances it is best not to claim carers allowance.
This explains the effect getting carer's allowance has on the benefits of the person you care for:-
www.gov.uk
Carer's Allowance
Apply for Carer's Allowance - money to help you look after someone who needs to be cared for. Apply online or use form DS700.
Yes
Carer's Credit
Carer's Credit helps carers fill gaps in your National Insurance record to help you qualify for the State Pensions and other benefits - what you'll get, eligibility and how to claim
The first year I was with Mum 24/7 I knew about Mum was getting that extra pension credit, but thought that because I wasn't claiming Carer's Allowance, everything would be ok. But because I was there 24/7, Mum wasn't entitled to the extra (they told me) so she had to repay it... and I couldn't backdate my claim for carer's allowance very far. So... so it taught me to never spend all we were given. Don't expect the system to be reasonable (the money had just come into the house from the wrong direction!) and you won't be disappointed.
I didn't put a lot of effort into checking what I was told, because I was running on empty in every way. But I learned to be as independent as possible... the fewer external systems and regs and rulebooks and faff I had to interface with, the better!
7 months after Mum died, I'm still waiting for them to tell me how much they want of her overpaid benefits back. I'm tired of ringing and being told it's in the pipeline, but I will be free eventually!
I didn't put a lot of effort into checking what I was told, because I was running on empty in every way. But I learned to be as independent as possible... the fewer external systems and regs and rulebooks and faff I had to interface with, the better!
7 months after Mum died, I'm still waiting for them to tell me how much they want of her overpaid benefits back. I'm tired of ringing and being told it's in the pipeline, but I will be free eventually!
Hi. I found it all confusing tbh. When I cared for dad I didn't have to worry as dad only had AA .But as mum receives more than dad in benefits that is the problem. I now receive nothing from the government at all. My 2 younger children are now back living with me so at least the bills are paid via their rent. I have money put away so I can pay it back... When I get notified.The first year I was with Mum 24/7 I knew about Mum was getting that extra pension credit, but thought that because I wasn't claiming Carer's Allowance, everything would be ok. But because I was there 24/7, Mum wasn't entitled to the extra (they told me) so she had to repay it... and I couldn't backdate my claim for carer's allowance very far. So... so it taught me to never spend all we were given. Don't expect the system to be reasonable (the money had just come into the house from the wrong direction!) and you won't be disappointed.
I didn't put a lot of effort into checking what I was told, because I was running on empty in every way. But I learned to be as independent as possible... the fewer external systems and regs and rulebooks and faff I had to interface with, the better!
7 months after Mum died, I'm still waiting for them to tell me how much they want of her overpaid benefits back. I'm tired of ringing and being told it's in the pipeline, but I will be free eventually!
Hi. Yep my fault for not using my spare time to study the in depth report.. Decided I'm not going to care for mum full time. So i won't be going down this road again.
This is the only certainty about the benefits system. I'm intellectually unconvinced by Universal Income as a concept (it seems far too good to be true to a man like me who's never earned much!) but it would wipe out most confusion immediately... because everyone would be getting money anyway. And it's unlikely it would be less than Carer's Allowance! There would still be disability related benefits to wrap your head round, but much less of this kind of situation... probably?
By curious coincidence, this morning I've finally had a letter from DWP telling me the investigation is closed and there's no further action to be taken. It doesn't mention the £1340, including winter fuel payment, which I know was paid in the few weeks after Mum died (despite the "tell us once" service) so I will choose to take them at their word and stop worrying.
And when I say, stop worrying, I mean distribute the estate then cross my fingers for five years. ;-)
I hope your situation is sorted out sooner rather than later. It might be worth finding an advocate (via Citizen's Advice maybe?) who specialises in helping folk in benefit wrangling. The system is often as complex for the people trying to make it work as it is for those of us on the other side of the fence, so mistakes happen. But, as ever, finding the emotional strength to chase such things can be a struggle.
Similar threads
