Can being a carer work against my PIP claim?

Hi ARThorburn,
Firstly, there is nothing in law that prevents a carer also receiving PIP. However, of course it raises the immediate assumption, well if he is caring for someone else, why does he say he can't look after himself? Certainly on paper that is a reasonable argument. Nothing is ever as black and white as it seems. I am aware of several couples each of whom get PIP and also claim Carer's Allowance for looking after the other. The most common example is where one has mental health problems, and needs prompting, and the other has limited mobility so needs help with dressing and physical activities such as chopping vegetables. There are also other possibilities where you absolutely can not do just one activity and that is sufficient to give enough points on its own to provide a standard rate award. Then it is unlikely that you would need a great deal of help yourself.
Unfortunately I do not know either your circumstances or that of the person you look after, so I can not advice whether your claim for PIP would either be allowed or seem to conflict with a caring role.
If you haven't already done so, please have a look at the members guides, which provide a lot of helpful info about PIP claims.
Have a look here:
www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/help-for-claimants/pip#claims

As with all PIP claims, I would recommend that you go through the descriptor activities and decide what points should apply to you. Remember that if things take twice as long as they should, and/or can not be done to an acceptable standard and/or repeatedly then you should score points. Also there is a safety factor - if you can't do the activity safely this should also entitle points. Now consider what sort of caring you do for your brother, and how often. I am also aware that sometimes relatives look after each other as best they can, but the care provided falls a long way short of what you would get from an outsider. For example, even if you both have limited upper body movement, it is probably easier to help each other get dressed rather than do it single-handedly. Four hands are better than two! Perhaps the caring for your brother is only seldom? PIP points are awarded on the basis of the 'majority of days' so on a better day you may be able to help your brother, but other days not. Caring can of course also be done by companionship. Not necessarily actually doing anything but being there to talk and negate feelings of isolation and unhappiness.
Hopefully if you can make an analysis as suggested above you will be able to show that you have sufficient limitation of function that will allow points to be awarded and not be negated by a caring role.
Good luck.
LL26