A question about : Please help me re: Carers' allowance, PIP & ESA
My brother has just been awarded PIP (Daily Living Component at the enhanced rate of Ј81.30 per week and Mobility Component at the standard rate of Ј21.55 per week from 30 Dec 2014). He also receives Ј72.40 per week Contribution-based ESA as he is off work sick at present and he has been placed in the Support Group. He is planning on starting a phased return to work over a 4 - 6 week period starting on 1st March but will only be working 2 hours a day for the first week. He will build up to his usual 35 hours per week.
My questions are:
1) I have been caring for him full time since last July but didn't know he could claim PIP at that time. Can I now claim Carer's allowance from 30 Dec or can I claim CA from an earlier time? (My fuel bills are through the roof while he is here).
2) I have read if someone gets CA that his benefits may be affected. Does this mean his PIP would go down if I get Carer's Allowance for him?
3) When he returns to work, building up his hours, what do I do about his ESA? Would it cease immediately or do they just adjust it depending on the hours and hourly rate he works?
Do I also need to let them know that he has just been awarded PIP?
4) Does PIP count as income and would it reduce how much my brother gets in HB & CTB before he returns to work.
5) He has never claimed WTC so, once he is back at work, I was planning on claiming that for him. Can he do that while he is undergoing his phased return as he would be working and he does normally work 35 hours.
Sorry, I know I'm asking a lot of questions but I'm struggling to see how everything links in together.
Thank you so much to anyone who can help.
Best answers:
- My brother's PIP award was made based purely on the completion of the form and the supportive documentation sent in with it. He hasn't had to have an interview. I am wondering whether there is any chance of his PIP award being backdated due to us not having been aware that he would have been entitled to this.
- You can claim carers from when the award is made from (usually the date they received the form). You mention 30th Dec is this when the form was submitted? You cannot claim from earlier than this and you can only claim if you look after him for 35hrs a week and have less than Ј102 a week income.
His Pip wouldn't be affected by you claiming carers there is SDP payment when someone lives alone and is on income based benefits which is lost, but this is not applicable to your brother anyway
The amount your brother is receiving in the support group doesn't seem right r is he getting income from elsewhere? He should be getting Ј108.15 the figure you mention is for the assessment phase. On the contribution based ESA the PIP makes no odds
You need to see an advisor about ESA and his return to work, he can do permitted work and keep ESA but they have to agree it and it will stop when he earns a certain figure by then WTC should kick in
PIP will not reduce HB or CTC I'm not sure if the PIP award will give him extra but I doubt it
He could claim WTC but has to be working at least 16 hours a week to claim
You can't get the PIP backdated it goes on the day you sent off the form. - Thanks Xylophone that still doesn't seem right though on contribution based ESA they ignore any occupational pension below Ј85 pound a week
- I have been on maternity leave for a while so may be out of touch but PIP will increase his HB in the same way as DLA would have done from memory.
If he has been getting the Severe Disability Premium, an award of Carers Allowance would stop this and could reduce HB / CTS and other benefits.
Again from memory so happy to be corrected, but there was scope in ESA for permitted earnings where a certain amount would be disregarded so it wouldn't stop people trying to get back into work so I don't think it will stop straight away - the first x amount is ignored - Thank you everyone for your replies. I'm sorry I haven't responded for a few days but my family have all been down with the flu.
On the subject of my brother's Contribution-based ESA, he has received a letter saying he has been put into a support group and his ESA rate will be going up in March from Ј72.40 to Ј108.15.
He is planning on starting a phased return to work just before that anyway which is what made me wonder what happens then and whether they would still pay him some of his ESA while he is building back up to full time employment.
Am I understanding correctly that his PIP amount will not affect his ESA?
Do I need to tell his council that he has started to get PIP or will they just continue to pay HB until I tell them about any money he gets from his phased return to work? - Can I please ask more questions?
I am now planning on claiming Carers' allowance for taking care of my brother. However, when such time comes that my brother returns to his own home can he then claim Severe Disability Premium if I relinquish claiming CA?
Can Severe Disability Premium be paid on top of PIP to my brother while he is working or is SDP for people who are unable to work?
Also, I had no idea that my brother qualified for PIP so did not do a claim form until Dec 2014 yet he had to move in with me and I began caring for him full time in July 2014. Is there any way I can get his PIP backdated to then? I did provide proof from his Psychiatrist that he has been living with me and being cared for by me since July to prevent him from being hospitalised. I just didn't claim as I didn't know anything about these benefits.
I hope I don't sound like we are just trying to get as much as we can from the system but I just want to make sure my brother claims what he is entitled to.
Thank you in anticipation of your help. - svere disability pemiums are paid alongside income related benefits ( ESA, HSA , income support, pension credit) to those who live alone, with no one claiming carers allowance, and who receive either rate of PIP care or middle /high rate care DLA.
it isn't paid to supplement the PIP, but to supplement the means tested benefit - From CAB site -
"The date of your claim is the date of your first phone call to the DWP, if you supply any further information required within one month. This is the date from which you'll be paid if you qualify immediately. So don't delay making the call. Your claim can't be backdated."
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