Martin Lewis MSE says DWP sending UK households £4,250

Martin Lewis’ MoneySavingExpert (MSE) is informing that thousands of UK households are missing retired connected a escaped handout worthy up to £4,250 per year.

The informing comes aft the Office for National Statistics past week announced that UK Consumer Price Index inflation has dropped to its lowest level since April 2021, falling to 1.7% successful September.

The authorities typically uses this fig to cipher benefit increases for April adjacent year, erstwhile claimants look acceptable to spot a boost to their incomes.

But MSE says that billions of pounds successful benefits goes unclaimed each twelvemonth arsenic galore workers and pensioners often don’t realise they’re entitled to assertion other cash.

One of the main benefits that goes unclaimed, according to MSE, is Carer’s Allowance, with an estimated 530,000 carers missing retired connected up to £4,250 per year.

The outgo is issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to radical who look aft idiosyncratic else.

If you attraction for idiosyncratic astatine slightest 35 hours per week, and they get definite benefits, you could get £81,90 per week, giving you a monthly income boost of astir £327.

You don’t person to beryllium related to, oregon unrecorded with, the idiosyncratic you attraction for to qualify, but they indispensable already beryllium getting 1 of these benefits:

• Personal Independence Payment - regular surviving component

• Disability Living Allowance - the mediate oregon highest attraction rate

• Attendance Allowance

• Constant Attendance Allowance astatine oregon supra the mean maximum complaint with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

• Constant Attendance Allowance astatine the basal (full day) complaint with a War Disablement Pension

• Armed Forces Independence Payment

• Child Disability Payment - the mediate oregon highest attraction rate

• Adult Disability Payment - regular surviving constituent astatine the modular oregon enhanced rate

You request to walk astatine slightest 35 hours a week caring for someone, specified arsenic helping them with washing and cooking, taking them to doctor’s appointments, oregon helping with household tasks, specified arsenic managing bills and shopping.

You besides indispensable beryllium aged 16 oregon over, surviving successful England, Scotland oregon Wales, and person net of £151 oregon little per week aft tax, National Insurance and expenses. Additionally, the DWP adds that you indispensable NOT:

• be successful full-time education

• be studying for 21 hours a week oregon more

• be taxable to migration control

If you stock attraction responsibilities with different idiosyncratic past lone 1 of you tin assertion the allowance. The DWP says you tin inactive apply, but it volition determine who should person the benefit.

It’s worthy noting that for each week you get Carer’s Allowance you’ll automatically get National Insurance credits and whitethorn besides suffice for different support, including a Council Tax Reduction, Universal Credit if you’re connected a debased income oregon unemployed, oregon Pension Credit.

You tin use for the payment online via GOV.UK and you tin backdate your assertion by up to 3 months.