Carers Allowance Am I Too Old !

[lynnes]

I have been told that I cannot claim Carers allowance because I am 60 years old (just over really !) Can someone confirm this is correct please ?
I look after both my husband and son who have a genetic illness that is progressive.

My son in his forties used to have his own bungalow (not owned) but failing health meant that he could no longer care for himself and he came to live back at home.

Both my husband and son get full higher rate of DLA.

Any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

[bowlingbun]

I'm just 60 too, so we are both stuck in the transitional arrangements, waiting longer for our pension. As I understand the rules, you can have CA until you draw your pension, so if that is the case, then yes, you can have it, as long as you meet the other criteria. Be sure to ring or email the Carers UK helpline, because once you are entitled to CA you might be able to get other things as well.

[Myrtle]

If you're not getting state pension then you can get carers allowance. Carers allowance stops when you receive your pension as both are classed as 'income replacement' so you can only get one or the other.

[Stacey]

I just turned 61 and will get my state pension in another 5 months; until then I'm receiving Carer's Allowance.

To tell the truth it annoys the heck out of me that I lose Carer's Allowance when I receive my pension. Anyone can work full time and receive a State Pension. You can work and earn roughly £100 a week and still receive Carer's Allowance. So why when I begin to receive my state pension do I lose all entitlement to CA? My caree (my husband) requires full time care so there is no way I can supplement my State Pension by working.

Just a moan .. no chance of anything changing.

[lynnes]

Thanks so much everyone for your answers.
It doesn't seem fair that just because you retire you should lose any/all recognition that you are caring full time for people with disabilities.

I don't suppose there is anything that replaces the carers allowance when you are of pension age ?

I find the official sources of information a minefield, purposely intended to confuse contradict and generally unhelpful. But then again it might just be me

[bowlingbun]

I raised this issue at the Carers UK AGM 2004. Whilst you can't claim it after you've retired, I think (but check with CUK) that you might have "underlying entitlement" and therefore might be entitled to additional carers premiums if you are in receipt of means tested benefits. Not much comfort if you are not I'm afraid.