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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Universal credit migration  →  Thread

Does CA trigger a claim for UC?

mand74
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Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund

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HI all,

Just want to be 100% sure I have not missed anything.  We have a cl who is currently on IRESA and cares for her dependent son who is getting DLA.  We don’t think she is claiming CA at the moment and want to double check this would not have an impact and trigger a UC claim.

CA is not a legacy benefit and would only trigger a recalculation of her entitlement on IRESA and HB./CTR.  Am I right in thinking this shouldn’t trigger a UC claim?  The trigger charts I have seem say if making a new benefit claim, assume they mean a new legacy or equivalent claim.

Much appreciated.
Amanda

HB Anorak
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It’s been said many times on here: there is no such thing as a “trigger” to claim UC compulsorily.  A person might feel practically compelled to do so when (1) s/he is in a position where s./he really needs to make a new claim for a means tested benefit and (2) s/he does not belong to the limited groups excluded from claiming UC.

There is no reason why this person should be making a new claim for any means-tested benefit; as you say, her existing benefits will be reassessed to take account of the new income and Carer Premium, they will go down a bit, but not by as much as the CA so it’s worth doing.

Chrissum
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HB Anorak - 04 March 2020 11:28 AM

There is no reason why this person should be making a new claim for any means-tested benefit; as you say, her existing benefits will be reassessed to take account of the new income and Carer Premium, they will go down a bit, but not by as much as the CA so it’s worth doing.

Unless they have another source of income in which case the caveat is that receipt of CA could take them off MTBs even with the carers premium.

HB Anorak
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Chrissum - 04 March 2020 01:14 PM
HB Anorak - 04 March 2020 11:28 AM

There is no reason why this person should be making a new claim for any means-tested benefit; as you say, her existing benefits will be reassessed to take account of the new income and Carer Premium, they will go down a bit, but not by as much as the CA so it’s worth doing.

Unless they have another source of income in which case the caveat is that receipt of CA could take them off MTBs even with the carers premium.

But then, give or take the quirks that sometimes make UC a better buy, there wouldn’t be any point claiming UC either!

Chrissum
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Indeed. But just for the sake of completeness perhaps I could have been more specific in that receiving the CA in the circumstances I highlighted would not necessarily take them out of HB or CTR entitlement altogether and would just trigger a recalculation, but might take them off a passporting benefit such as IS or IRESA.

mand74
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Thank you all