Redundancy & Carers Benefit

I’m currently being made redundant and entitled to JSB. However due to my wifes illness and requiring further surgery in a couple of weeks I’m considering applying for Carers Benefit. I’ve already taken some of the 104 weeks Carers Leave on 2 occasions whilst employed so the medical conditions are met.

My questions are based on the fact that for JSB I need to be available for work but I won’t due to having to take care of my wife, so:

• Can I go straight onto Carers Benefit from employment – no gap?
• When I finish Carers Benefit do my full 52 weeks of JSB start then?
• As part of my redundancy I will be getting a payment which would disqualify me from JSB for a number of weeks. Will this disqualify me from Carers Benefit for the same number of weeks? If it doesn’t then when I finish and move to JSB will it come into effect then?

Yes, you can go stright onto Carer's Benefit. ("The Carer must have been employed in full-time employment for at least eight weeks, either consecutive or not, in the 26 week period immediately prior to the commencement of the Carer's Benefit claim")
Be aware, if not already, that ou will only get the balance of the 104 weeks CB you haven't claimed yet.
You can go directly onto JB for 312 days after CB, provided you fulfil the JB conditions. There is also the Carer's Allowance option but this is measn-tested and you're getting a redundancy payment ....
Your redundancy payment won't disqualify you from getting CB and it won't affect your JB as the period is taken from the date of leaving job (porvided the JB claim is made on a date outside/after the period of disqualification, of course)

Thanks Welfarite thats very clear.
Just 1 query - you say provided i meet the JB conditions. The situation is that after continuous working for 8 years I could be on Carers Benefit for over 1 year immediately after redundancy before going for JB, is this ok?

Don't really know what you mean by 'is this ok?'? Ok how? If you are available for work (i.e. not caring for person full-time any more) then yeah.

Thanks Welfarite. What I'm trying (maybe poorly) to ask is that after I finish Carers Benefit i.e. I will then be available for work, will I still be entitled to JSB for 52 weeks?

149oaks said:

Thanks Welfarite. What I'm trying (maybe poorly) to ask is that after I finish Carers Benefit i.e. I will then be available for work, will I still be entitled to JSB for 52 weeks?

Click to expand...

No, you'll draw down the balance of days left on JB