carers allowance

[Howard25]

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 .

[Philip]

Have you looked at attendance allowance?

[Hidden]

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.

[Hidden]

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

[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 in reply to Lorrainemally]

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]

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]

To late I have started to claim my pension.

[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.