Employment and support allowance.

[belleyetere]

Hi.
I have just bcome a full time carer. We were told before christmas that we had to claim E&SA in the wifes name.
We were sent the form and took 3 days to fill it in and find all the extras they required with it.
Today we received a letter saying we are entitled but it only give us the couples allowance.
It does not give me the cares component even though I stated that I cared for the wife for more then 35 hours. Also I was not or had not at the time of filling in the form been claiming carers allownce already.
Do I now need to fill out more forms to get carers component. Also do I need to contact other departments to get our child tax credit changed to the higher amount..

If I do why can not one department talk to all the others has they have all the info they need.
Any more advice would be welcome has after 33 years of work this is all new to me.

Can not get phrough to the benifits agencies proble due to snow and staff shortages.

If any one on here is in the same circumstances has us what benifits do you get.
We are a married couple with 1 child at home. We rent wwhere we live.
Thanks Robert

[rosemary]

Hi Robert,

Carers UK have a helpline too

Click here for more info. Hope it helps

[Matt Hill]

Hi Robert

Benefits are a minefield and we can't advise you properly on a forum. You really need to speak to someone either face to face or over the phone. You can try our helpline. There are also other benefits helplines out there or your local welfare rights or advice bureau.

Has your wife applied for Disability Living Allowance? That is the benefit that will then allow you to claim Carers's Allowance.

More info in this section of the website
http://www.carersuk.org/Information/Financialhelp

Welcome to the forum by the way! Please feel free to jump into any thread or discussion and have your say - we'd love to hear from you!

best wishes

Matt

[belleyetere]

My wife has been getting DLA since she first took ill. Daughters had been looking after her till we moved from a house to a bungalow. I have now stoped work to look after her full time.
From what I have read we can claim carers allowence but not receive any payment because we are having to claim employment and support alloewence. With this benefit you get a carers component after you have been through the assesment stage of 13 weeks. Only thing is the carers part only £29-50 not the £50-00 something on the old benifits. Apart from help towards council tax and rent we only get £100-95 per week for 2 adults and 1 child for 13 weeks. we will then get the care component if they put her in the care group.
I left school at 15 and have worked since for nearly 40 years. We will still have to pay some of the rent ourselfs as we are renting from privately landlord and because the lha rate does not cover it all.
Our rent is 7000 per year yet in London the councils are paying more the this per month on sme properties.

[pixie]

I would call the Benefit Enquiry Line as you should be getting Income Support who will then help with rent and council tax.

0800 882 200

You can claim Income Support on line so I would do that right away if I were you.

[belleyetere]

You can not claim income support now. You have to claim Employment and support allowence.
We will get all the rates paid.

[pixie]

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAnd ... &cre=Money

Sorry but you can claim income support as you can see on the above link which tells you who can claim etc.

[belleyetere]

From the gov.uk website
Employment and Support Allowance - introduction Employment and Support Allowance replaces Incapacity Benefit and Income Support that is paid because of an illness or disability for new claimants from 27 October 2008. If you are already receiving Incapacity Benefit, you will continue to get it as long as you are eligible.

[pixie]

Maybe this will help.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSo ... G_10037637