Carers Allowance

[coget]

My wife claims carers allowance for her mother as she earns under the �95 per week limit. We have a house which we will be letting out from August, it is in joint names but the rent will be paid into my account. Will my wife still be able to claim the carers allowance?

[padanarm]

As I understand it, carers allowance is not means-tested - unless the carer is gainfully employed and earns more than the earnings limit.

In your situation if you are the sole landlord than you will be claiming the rent as income - and will be declare it for tax.

If your wife is a joint landlord then surely that would count as joint income so she would have to declare a change of circumstances to DWP?

Phone the Benefits Enquiry Line 0800 882 200 and ask whether a change in the partner's income would affect the carer's claim for CA. They can't discuss your individual case but can explain the rules.

[buildersmate]

Having looked at this
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CaringForSomeone/M oneyMatters/CarersAllowance/DG_10012525
it isn't clear what the rules are about the impact of unearned income (the income you will receive from renting out your property).
Logically, Carer's Allowance claim should not be impacted because the limit of �95 from other earnings is to stop folks getting a hand-out when they work full-time and also go and visit a relative a couple of evenings a week - something they'd have probably done anyway. It was a serious attempt to recognise the role played by family members in looking after loved-ones, by paying an amount that compensated them a little for not being able to do a full-time job. As always, it is a bit of a coarse tool.
I suggest you phone the Helpline as Pandanarm suggest - you can discussion your situation anomymously. You can be sure there is a rule someone in the small print of the legislation that introduced it - but I can't find it in the Government blurb.