Other benefits
CA cannot be paid in full if you could also get any of the following benefits [Legislation (19)] :
- Incapacity Benefit
- Severe Disablement Allowance
- contribution-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
- unemployability supplement paid with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or War Disablement Pension
- Maternity Allowance
- basic State Pension
- bereavement benefits, Industrial Death Benefit and War Widows or Widowers Pension or
- certain training allowances.
These benefits are said to overlap with CA. If you are already getting a benefit which overlaps with CA, you will be paid the weekly rate of CA less the weekly rate of the other benefit.
If another benefit is paid at a higher rate than CA you will not receive payment of CA. However, you retain an underlying entitlement to CA which may entitle you to extra Income Support, income-based JSA, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit through a carer premium or Pension Credit through an extra amount for carers.
Payments of CA are taken fully into account when working out entitlement to Income Support, income-based JSA, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Pension Credit, but a carer premium or extra amount is added to the assessment. Payments of CA are also taken into account in the assessment of Working Tax Credit.
Your CA claim could reduce the benefit of the person you care for. If the person you are caring for or their partner has a severe disability premium included in the assessment of their:
- Income Support
- Income-based JSA
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit
this will stop if you get CA for looking after them. See leaflet IS20 A guide to Income Support for detailed information.
If the person you are caring for gets an extra amount in their Pension Credit for severe disability, this will stop if you get CA for looking after them. See guide PC10S Pension Credit A detailed guide for advisers and others for detailed information.
If someone else gets benefit for you
If someone else gets a benefit which includes extra money for you, this money will have to be reduced if you start to get CA. Also, extra money already paid may affect any arrears of CA due to you