Change in Circumstances - Universal Credit and Carers Allowence

MrsRebeccaK

Hi all,
Can anyone advise: my mother has been living with and caring for my grandmother for years, she had no idea she was entitled to any help at all, she has been unable to work due to her own mental health and not being able to leave my grandmother for more than couple of hours a day. My father done everything financially but passed away recently and now I'm trying to sort everything out.

I have helped her get Universal Credit and they said due to her circumstances they would not expect her to look for work however advised her to apply for Attendance Allowance for grandma then she could apply for Carers allowance. This has now been done and she now gets carers allowance.

My question is as this is a government benefit do we need to report it as a "change of circumstances" on the Universal Credit account? As looking at doing it it seems to be asking same questions like if we were making a new carers allowance claim. I was told once it was approved we wouldn't have to do anything further and UC would update/adjust with the new adjustments i.e carers element etc.

Just want to make sure I haven't missed anything.
Thanks

woodbine

Hi @MrsRebeccaK you could make a note on your UC journal asking if they are now aware you have been awarded CA

Adrian_Scope

Hello @MrsRebeccaK and welcome to the community. As @woodbine says, it is best she makes them aware she has been awarded CA (it is picked up automatically and deducted from UC, but they can be funny about applying the Carer Element to your UC unless you've made them aware you are caring and entitled to it).
She can either put a note on her journal and they should do the rest or do a 'change of circumstances' via the Homepage to request the Carer Element is added.