# Carers Allowance and Spouse Visa Help Needed



## SammyM (Aug 21, 2013)

Am writing on behalf of a friend of mine who doesn't have access to the internet. She was born in the UK, and gets carers allowance at the rate of £59.75 per week. She is going to Pakistan to get married this following month. We do know that she does not need to meet the £18,600 per annum financial requirement.

As a recipient of carers allowance and not having to meet the financial requirement for a spouse visa. How much per week does she need to have left over firstly and where does it exactly state this as i have been clueless to find where it says the exact amount ? 

If she does needs to have more money left over, greater then her carers allowance rate of £59.75 per week. How does she need to make the rest up ? and again where exactly does it state this please.

Thank you for your time.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

£112.55 per week if there are no children. 
She can add all her benefits, tax credits and earnings, then subtract rent/mortgage and council tax.
See http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/s...w/IDIs/chp8-annex/maintenance.pdf?view=Binary.
It doesn't give the exact amount currently as it varies each year, but £112.55 is the amount for a couple with no children (Income Support rate).


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## SammyM (Aug 21, 2013)

As she only gets carers allowance, income support, housing benefit and does not work. How much savings will she need exactly, and where it states how to work this out

Thanks


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

It doesn't state anywhere how you can meet the maintenance requirement through savings. People have guessed that if you divide the savings by 52 and again by 2.5 (2.5 years for the length of the visa), that should give the weekly amount that can be assessed, but it's just a speculation, or if you have to subtract 16000 first before working out the weekly amount.


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## SammyM (Aug 21, 2013)

Thank you it is quite fustrating to get my head around this as it is not something you do everyday so i really do appreciate every help i am getting with this. All i want is to try help as much as possible to get her going with her application. This next bit is a slightly long but i would really appreciate a reply to make me fully understand what i need to advise her.

As she gets carers allowance she doesnt need to work to earn £18,600 and meet the "financial requirement". We know this

Thanks to yourself we now know that we have to meet the "maintence requirement" figure of £112.55 which is the rate of a couple receiving income support.

What we do not know is how exactly to meet this figure and would be grateful with helping us with this.

As she is not working and gets benefits consisting of Carers Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit


Which of these three benefits can be used to reach the sum £112.55 per week ?

and then what would the savings be that she needs ?


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## UKE90 (Nov 27, 2012)

Joppa said:


> It doesn't state anywhere how you can meet the maintenance requirement through savings. People have guessed that if you divide the savings by 52 and again by 2.5 (2.5 years for the length of the visa), that should give the weekly amount that can be assessed, but it's just a speculation, or if you have to subtract 16000 first before working out the weekly amount.


Sorry for the thread jack, but i'm using £15k savings along with my carers allowance. Are you saying there's a chance they might not even consider my savings? I was basing my application on £15k/52 x 2.5.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

SammyM said:


> What we do not know is how exactly to meet this figure and would be grateful with helping us with this.
> 
> As she is not working and gets benefits consisting of Carers Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit
> 
> ...


All of them.
Guidance does mention savings, which must be held in a cash account for 6 months before application. And the wording seems to suggest the whole of the savings can be added to your income:
"Where there is income or cash savings in different foreign currencies, each will be converted into pounds sterling (£) before being added together, and then added to any UK income or savings, to give a total amount."
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/s...w/IDIs/chp8-annex/maintenance.pdf?view=Binary Page 14.


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## Sandraw719 (Jul 19, 2013)

*how to count 6 months for bank statement?*

My husband's class account statement shows:

Balance on May.31--- about 90,000.00
Balance on Jun.28-----about 140,000.00 (We transfer some money from his bank account in China to UK)
Blance on Jul.31 ---------70,000.00

He also has another two track bonds worth GBP 95,000.00

My husband worked in China for 11 years and he has 7 working visas in his current passport. All the above money are from his employment in China actually. 

After we arrived in UK in Jul, he bought and sold some shares and we bought one property. So the money are in and out a lot. 

If we use this saving, by the end of Nov., can we prove we hold 70000.00 for 6 momths or can only prove 20000.00 for 6 months untouched?

Also, when we explain the source of the cash, his Chinese empolyment contract and working visa are enough or we need more docs? (When we transferred the money from China to UK, we gave the Chinese bank all the pay slips,income tax bills. So we cannot get those docs again.)

Thanks



P.S. A few days ago I asked Joppa about the portfolio report from CAPITA. But It seems difficult to get one report from them. So I have to think about the other way.


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## Husband & Wife (Jun 27, 2013)

I have a question regarding the maintenance requirement.

Reference... http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/s...w/IDIs/chp8-annex/maintenance.pdf?view=Binary

In section 5.1(c), it says 'deduct the housing costs from the net income'. 

If housing benefits (eg: £50pw) are included as part of the net income, and then the housing costs (eg: cost of rent, £50pw) are deducted from the net income... does this not nullify the need to include housing benefits as part of the net income to meet the maintenance requirement? How does this work?

Thanks


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Yes it does but the formula is still the same. Some people don't get housing benefit so the calculation is still valid.


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## Husband & Wife (Jun 27, 2013)

Ok, thank you Joppa.

So, using the above amounts, the net income would be counted as £100pw and would not meet the maintenance requirement of £112ish-pw?

...a further £12 would need to be included from another source (not third party), perhaps work?


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Yes. Savings is possible but the guidance doesn't say how it can be applied. We have assumed that it must be divided by 2.5x52 or 130 to get the weekly available amount, but that's just a speculation. Savings must have been in your account for 6 months prior to application.


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## shamsp (Nov 11, 2013)

Joppa said:


> Yes it does but the formula is still the same. Some people don't get housing benefit so the calculation is still valid.




Hi sorry to post so late after this thread has closed

Basically my husband (from pakistan) is seeking an application for a spouse visa.
I live in the UK and have been in receipt of carers allowance looking after my aunties son who is disabled for about 5 monthsI have also managed to get a part time job earning £97.50 a week. I have been employed by my company for a period of over 3 months. Its a permanent position. 
I believe my total income for a month is £157.25. I do not get any benefits etc. 

I am eager to make an application to have my husband over so was wandering whether i can collate my documents and issue it just after 4 months of being employed. 

I live at home with my parents who are happy for my husband to live rent free. I dont really pay for anything at home.

Can you please advise if i can make my application now, at month 4 or do i need to wait for 6 months. I note the rules say something along the lines of "at least 6 months wage slips or any other period you have been employed" 
If i do give 4 months wage slips, will i need to give 6 month bank statements or will 4 months suffice?

I would really really appreciate your response as I am very eager to submit my application.

Thanks


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## Husband & Wife (Jun 27, 2013)

Thank you Shamsp for your question.

Further to that,I would like to know how Employment Support Allowance counts toward the maintenance allowance.

Please...


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## Husband & Wife (Jun 27, 2013)

Hello.

Please can you tell me if, for my part time employment, I need an employment contract or only a letter from the employer?


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