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Forum Home  →  Discussion  →  Universal credit administration  →  Thread

Carers addition under Universal Credit

dereksi
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Welfare rights worker - Contact a Family, Glasgow

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Joined: 16 June 2010

I have just seen the attached draft regulations regarding additions under Universal Credit. Unless I am missing something it appears that you will be able to receive a carers addition not only if you qualify for carers allowance but also if you provide regular and substantial care to a severely disabled person. See Regs 22-24.

The draft regs do not appear to restrict entitlement by earnings or hours worked so it seems that someone could get a carer addition included in their UC calculation regardless of their earnings. This would obviously be a major improvement on the current system where those with wages above the CA earnings limit get no extra help as a carer.

Has anyone else already looked at this? Am I missing something?

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Gareth Morgan
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CEO, Ferret, Cardiff

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This parallels proposed changes in Pension Credit rules where they intend to remove the explicit link to carer’s allowance. They have said that the Secretary of State will prescribe what is meant by regular and substantial caring responsibilities in regulations. The intention is that this definition will cover, but not be limited to, people entitled to carer’s allowance.

It makes it more generous in some ways although the changes to couples rules for the additions may offset that.

It’s worth reading the debate last week, which discussed carers.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201011/ldhansrd/text/111212-0003.htm

dereksi
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Welfare rights worker - Contact a Family, Glasgow

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Total Posts: 47

Joined: 16 June 2010

Thanks Gareth.