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Citizens Advice Sutton CEO, Steve Triner joined our Carers Rights Day Carers Connect Special to lead an interesting discussion and brainstorm around the minefield of welfare benefits and rules affecting Carers.
Here's a summary of our discussion and the main points Steve took forward to the Anti-Poverty Forum.
We have also listed the links which Steve recommended.
Carers Allowance (CA) is currently £81.90 per week and subject to eligibility criteria. It is also classified as taxable income.Â
Should it be non-taxable, like the disability benefits?
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Should there be an enhanced rate of CA related to responsibilities? (e.g. if the person cared for received enhanced rates for night care needs).
Should CA be paid in addition to retirement pension?
CA can in theory be paid to a Carer from the age of 16, but the eligibility criteria require the Carer not to be in full time education. This is a difficult element to adhere to, as up to 18 you are legally required to be in some form of education, yet that means there Young Adult Carers (YACs) may miss out on CA and also cannot gain additional income through weekend or evening work due to their caring responsibilities.Â
Recognising Young Adult Carers – Are they being unfairly excluded?. In Scotland there is an annual YC grant of £300.
If someone lives on their own and gets Attendance Allowance (AA), they may also get severe disability premium (SDP). However, SDP is not eligible alongside a claim of CA. So, if a Carer who is not living with them claims CA, the older person cannot get their SDP. Due to a lack of co-ordination in the system, this has resulted in overpayments.
Also, someone can claim CA without the cared for even knowing (it is a short online form) which means potentially SDP could be impacted without the claimant even knowing.Â
SDP should be paid alongside CA / Applications need co-ordination/ checks to avoid fraud/ financial abuse etc.
Universal credit (UC) is the means tested benefit for people of working age on a lower income e.g. people who work but need additional help to pay rent, people who are out of work, single parents, Carers etc.
UC is reduced by 55p for every pound earnt, however some groups have an earnings disregard but this doesn't include Carers. As Carers do not have a work allowance, unless they fall into another eligible category, they will have their UC reduced by 55p for every pound earned.
UC credit system should be amended to allow Carers to have a work allowance when taking on part time hours.
What if people are caring for more than one person? If living in deferent areas, travel costs could be considerable and use up CA or pension (if not getting CA). Note: Carers premium is less than CA.
Consideration for Carers of more than one people. Travel costs. Losing out if of pensionable age.
Within UC there are additional amounts for people in different circumstances, e.g. if there are limited capabilities; for Carers this is £198.31. CA counts as income; can get Carers element of UC, but cannot receive both.Â
Carer element should be reviewed so Carers can receive both elements (Carer and limited capacity), especially in relation to MH conditions. Improving quality of life.Â
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Council Tax: Carers discount on CT.Â
Awareness campaign. CT is assessed on assumption of at least 2 people. If only one person you get single person 25% discount. If someone in the property doesn’t count as an occupier, e.g. severe limited mental capacity, they are disregarded as a person. In some circumstances, this could also be a Carer, e.g. caring for parent, sibling up to 50%.
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Someone who is undertaking financial/ estate/social care/management, and not able to get CA due to them being in residential care but can’t yet get pension as not yet of age and unable to work due to age/ caring responsibilities. Losing out on NI premiums. Can you get CA when someone is self-funding in residential care.
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Useful links:
There are a number of benefit calculators online, e.g. entitled to and Turn2U
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