Our welfare benefit service has brought more than £4 million of additional annual income into the pockets of West Sussex carers since we the start of this project in March 2021.
Carers Support benefit advisers, advise carers which benefits they can claim, and which benefits their cared for can claim. This leads to many people claiming benefits or increases in existing benefits which they did not know they could claim. The following is such an example.
Typical case of financial help to the carer
*Gavin, a pensioner living on his own and caring for an older neighbour rang Carers Support West Sussex for advice. His neighbour had recently started to receive Attendance Allowance and also had an established claim for Pension Credit. The carer was also receiving Pension Credit himself but had never heard of Carers Allowance. One of our benefits advisors explained that although Carers Allowance itself cannot be paid to him because he is receiving a State Retirement Pension, he can nevertheless apply for Carers Allowance and have an ‘underlying entitlement’ to that benefit as a result of meeting the conditions for it.
The advice from the benefits advisor will result in Gavin receiving the Pension Credit ‘carer addition’ of £42.75 per week, equating to an extra £171 more a month. Gavin was delighted at this outcome. He had been selflessly caring for his neighbour for a long time – now he will receive significant and well-deserved financial help for doing so.
If you are unsure what you are entitled to claim as a carer, you can book some time to speak with one of our advisors.
Read more here – Benefits Toolkit & Services
*Not real name
