I am replying to your query posted on 6/10/2008. Basically, both Pixie and Parsifal have given you useful information. It very much depends upon whether your daughter opts to make a claim for Incapacity Benefit for young people (IB) that can be paid from age 16. This would require the backdated doctor’s medical certificates that ‘Pixie’ refers to in her 2 replies. It would also allow your daughter to make a further claim for Income Support (IS) before the deadline date of 27/10/2008 when the Employment Support Allowance is introduced. This same date applies to IB too!
Taking this action now would mean less money than remaining with the continuation of child benefit and child tax credit you now receive. For us to make a full comparison with your circumstances, when you reach the final date in Jan 2009 for the current Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit, would require more information, including the rate of Disability Living Allowance care component that she receives. Therefore, please get in touch with CarersLine ( freephone 0808 808 7777) as soon as possible, and leave message. Advisers mainly take calls at set times, on Weds & Thurs only, 10am – 12 midday or 2pm – 4pm. However, we check messages twice daily M – F, so please ring us to discuss further.
You still have the other choice now available, as explained well by Parsifal, namely, for your daughter to apply for Employment Support Allowance from January 2009 when the child benefit and child tax credit ends. The amount your daughter may receive through the Employment Support Allowance (ESA) depends on her ‘work capability assessment’. The reason for considering the IB / IS option before 27/10/2008 is that the personal capability assessment for IB is less demanding.
I would just add for now to Parsifal’s informative reply that ESA claimants under age 25 receive a reduced rate of the basic allowance (something similar applies to IS for under 25’s). However, once the assessment phase at 13 weeks is completed, and once awarded either of the two additional components to ESA; then claimants under age 25 no longer will receive a reduced amount (unlike the present IS/IB).
Which of the two components will apply depends on the outcome to the work capability assessment. The majority of claimants will receive the work-related activity component, and those with the most severe disabilities or health problems will receive the support component.
Carers UK has prepared an article about ESA that will appear in the next issue of CARING, and more information will be on our websitE. You can find out more from other sources too including Disability Alliance (who are also producing a guide to ESA) as well as the government’s main website]
www.directgov.uk[/url]
To sum up, we will be happy to carry out a 'better-off' calculation whether your daughter ought to claim IB/IS before 27/10/08 if possible; or alternatively, if she waits to Jan to claim ESA. However, to make this informed choice, please call CarersLine asap!
