carers allowance: I have been looking after... - Care Community

Care Community

5,939 members2,365 posts

carers allowance

Howard25 profile image
8 Replies

I have been looking after my wife for 17 years ,recently I became eligible for my state pension which I took only to be told my carers allowance would be stopped this has caused a huge impact on our lives is there any thing that I can do to help us financially .

Written by
Howard25 profile image
Howard25
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
8 Replies
Philip profile image
Philip

Have you looked at attendance allowance?

As Philip says, you can now apply for attendance allowance. For some reason they seem to think that if you are retired you can do the caring for free as you have all the time in the world and nothing else to do with it. You should get the attendance allowance with no problem and it will be backdated.

I know what's available, we have been retired for quite a few years.

Lorrainemally profile image
Lorrainemally

Hi Howard I'd been told that once you get your pension your carers allowance stops as well. They give you with one hand and take back with the other it seems

Devoncaroline profile image
Devoncaroline in reply toLorrainemally

This is because they are overlapping benefits. This means you are paid which ever is the higher amount. Most state pensioners' pension is higher than Carers Allowance.

Marie_14 profile image
Marie_14

Have you actually claimed your pension? You don't have to! You can allow it to gain interest and claim carers allowance instead but you can't claim both together!

Marie x

Howard25 profile image
Howard25

To late I have started to claim my pension.

Devoncaroline profile image
Devoncaroline

Hello Howard . Your state pension must be more than the Carers Allowance.

Suggest you ask your local Age UK to go through this with you to see if, as a couple, there is anything else you can claim.

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Carers allowance

Hi, I'm new to this so would be grateful for advice. My elderly mother doesn't receive any kind of...
Timothy12 profile image

Carers Allowance

Hi I am posting on behalf of a friend. Her 80 year old mother lives in another town and my friends...
Toria1 profile image

Carers Allowance

Hello I am new to this site and would like to ask a question. We are on universal credit, my...
sproket1 profile image

carers allowance

Hi I have bowel cancer I also have osteoarthritis and am diabetic I was diagnosed with bowel cancer...
mick1962 profile image

carers allowance

I `ve been caring for my husband for over 22years since his stroke.He gets full disability each...
glorian profile image

Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.

Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.