Carers Allowance and direct payment income

Hello,

I have a carer who is earning over the earnings limit for CA due to direct payments for caring for her mum.

Her mum won’t let anyone else do caring tasks so this is why the local authority have allowed her to pay her daughter to care through her own individual budget.

I assume there is no way round this? Unfortunately 50% of pension deductions wouldn’t take her under the £123 p/w. She earns around £150 I think. Can’t think of any other deductions she could apply.

Feels slightly unfair as if the local authority was paying one of their carers to do it the daughter would be ok but this isn’t possible due to the mother only allowing the daughter to do all of the personal care tasks.

Thought I would ask on the off chance, or any ideas

Thanks

Joel

JAS1 - 18 September 2019 03:47 PM

Hello,

I have a carer who is earning over the earnings limit for CA due to direct payments for caring for her mum.

Her mum won’t let anyone else do caring tasks so this is why the local authority have allowed her to pay her daughter to care through her own individual budget.

I assume there is no way round this? Unfortunately 50% of pension deductions wouldn’t take her under the £123 p/w. She earns around £150 I think. Can’t think of any other deductions she could apply.

Feels slightly unfair as if the local authority was paying one of their carers to do it the daughter would be ok but this isn’t possible due to the mother only allowing the daughter to do all of the personal care tasks.

Thought I would ask on the off chance, or any ideas

Thanks

Joel

You assume right - see a couple of links below - the latter one is routed from CPAG handbook page 565, but the former is probably more helpful for your scenario.

https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/briefcase/redirect/419101927723

https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/welfare-rights/caselaw/item/Assessment-of-income-paid-by-social-services-meaning-of-temporary

Increase pension contributions?

Thanks both.

Gareth Morgan - 19 September 2019 10:55 AM

Increase pension contributions?

Only thing I could think of yep. Would have to be some pretty serious pension contributions to bring her under though!