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Shared Lives and Carers Allowance

LucyH20
forum member

Northumberland County Council Welfare Rights

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Total Posts: 4

Joined: 22 January 2020

Is anyone aware of any regs preventing a Shared Lives Carer from claiming Carers Allowance for the person they are paid to care for?

My understanding is that Shared Lives Carers are classed as self employed and therefore as long as their net earnings are under £128 pw (and they satisfy the other usual criteria) they can claim CA.

We have repeatedly been told by Shared Lives that if you are being paid through the Shared Lives Scheme to Care for someone then you cannot claim CA. I have also seen this written in a Shared Lives publication.  I have been through the CA regs and cannot find any specific exclusions to claiming other than gainful employment and exceeding the earnings limits.

(In practice I know it is not in the best interests of the person placed in Shared Lives as they would miss out on the SDP on ESA if eligible)

Does anyone know what else may prevent a Shared Lives carer from claiming CA if they do not breach the gainful employment earnings limit?