Forum Home → Discussion → Income support, JSA and tax credits → Thread
Carers and Income Support
In the last week I’ve had two clients told they can’t claim IS. In each instance the client has been told they have to claim Carers Allowance. One won’t claim because her father gets SDP and is loathe to lose it and in the other case the husband can’t claim because the neice claims, but he is still a carer. Schedule 1B still allows a carer to claim without need for CA or has IDS pulled the rug in the last week or so.
This keeps coming up every so often but whats so worrying is that this time I had Jobcentre personnel, IS assessors and purported decision makers on the phone saying they had never heard of Schedule 1B. In the past you got someone who knew what you were talking about, now- might as well be talking another language. Where did those decision makers go, the ones who recognised a reg.
I’m sure it wasn’t any better in the old days.
The answer may lie here.
The last publication being 07/08
I remember - people who answered the telephone and had last names. They knew who you were and security questions were unnecessary They would do internal reviews and not demand you write in. Now and again they’d get it wrong like we all do but they didn’t get huffy and paranoid. And every year the Chief Ajudication Officer would publish a report on the standard of decision making which was surprisingly open and honest. I even got invited to one of their do’s.
Its all so long ago. Pity
You actually bought back some quite pleasant memories there semitone :)
What a shame it can’t still be like this.
I am looking for the Reg to print off as I have a customer where the contact centre will not take his claim for IS as a carer because he not claiming carers allowance. I am going to print off a clerical form and post with a copy of the Reg (if I can find it) Thanks
Income Support (General) Regulations 1987, Schedule 1B, paragraph 4. There ought to be a link to it through this website. And it hasn’t been amended recently.
Thank you also I was wondering if the notional income would play a part in his IS claim. He is not claiming IS as SDP will be affected but it is his mother (close relative) anyone had this problem or know a way round it thanks