Carers Allowance / Housing Benefit

Fizz wrote: Hi there,

I am receiving ESA (support group) and DLA (high rate care and mobility) and have just gone into remission at the end of last year from Non-Hodgkins.

I still need full time care and my carer wants to apply for Carer’s Allowance.

I live in a flatshare (2 persons, 2 bedrooms) and my flatmate is the carer. My flatmate is not a relative but a good friend only.

I am in receipt of Housing Benefit for private rented accommodation. Initially I was told I could just have Shared Accommodation Rate which is only about half my rent as I live in London. When I informed the local counsel of my disability I was awarded half the two bedroom rate which is £25 short of my weekly rent but doable. I was told this was due to something called severe disability premium.

I am worried that if my carer applies for carer’s allowance that I will only be entitled to shared accommodation rate again as my carer is already a resident.

Does anyone know how carer’s allowance impacts housing benefit when the disabled person is being cared for by a resident that is of no relation?

Any guidance at all on this would be very helpful as I am very concerned that I will either lose my carer (as they will have to go to jobseekers) or most of my housing benefit and I cannot survive without both.

Many thanks


Fizz