Pay the legacy carer premium per qualifying claimant or partner; IS carer route through them only

changelog.d/legacy-carer-premium-claimant-only.added.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Add `partners_care_for_same_severely_disabled_person` (benefit unit). Two people caring for the same severely disabled person cannot both be entitled to Carer's Allowance (SSCBA s.70(7ZA)) or Carer Support Payment (SSI 2023/302 reg 5(3)), so they get one carer premium. Unless it is supplied, partners are treated as caring for the same person unless both are entitled with an award, reported (`carers_allowance_reported`) or supplied directly as an allowance or entitlement that caring hours do not explain, since caring hours cannot show who is cared for.

changelog.d/legacy-carer-premium-claimant-only.fixed.md

@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+- Pay the legacy carer premium once for each claimant or partner entitled to Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment (IS Regs 1987 Sch 2 paras 14ZA(1) and 15(7), with the matching Housing Benefit and council tax reduction schedules), rather than one premium for the couple. A couple who both have Carer's Allowance awards get two premiums; a couple who care for the same severely disabled person, or who are both entitled on caring hours alone, get one. The premium enters the Income Support, Housing Benefit and council tax reduction applicable amounts.
+- Correct the 2025-26 carer premium to £46.40 a week.

changelog.d/legacy-carer-premium-claimant-only.removed.md

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Remove the `gov.dwp.carer_premium.couple` parameter. It held the single rate, while the law pays the per-person amount (`gov.dwp.carer_premium.single`) once for each qualifying claimant and partner. Reforms should change `gov.dwp.carer_premium.single`.

policyengine_uk/parameters/gov/dwp/carer_premium/single.yaml

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-description: Carer premium for one qualifying carer, for legacy benefits.
+description: Carer premium for each claimant or partner who qualifies, for legacy benefits. A couple who both qualify receive it twice.
 values:
   2015-04-01: 34.6
   2016-04-01: 34.6
@@ -9,18 +9,24 @@ values:
   2021-04-01: 37.7
   2022-04-01: 38.85
   2023-04-01: 42.75
-  2024-04-01: 
+  2024-04-01:
     value: 45.6
     reference:
       - title: Benefits Uprating 2024/25 | Commons Library Briefing
         href: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9872/CBP-9872.pdf
-  2025-04-01: 46.38
+  2025-04-01:
+    value: 46.4
+    reference:
+      - title: Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 Sch. 2 para. 15(7), as in force from 7 April 2025
+        href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1987/1967/schedule/2/2025-04-07
   2026-04-01: 48.15
 metadata:
   period: week
-  label: Legacy benefit carer premium (one carer)
+  label: Legacy benefit carer premium (per qualifying claimant or partner)
   uprating: gov.benefit_uprating_cpi
   unit: currency-GBP
-  reference: 
+  reference:
     - title: Benefits Uprating 2022/23
       href: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9439/CBP-9439.pdf
+    - title: Income Support (General) Regulations 1987 Sch. 2 para. 15(7) (in respect of each person who qualifies)
+      href: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1987/1967/schedule/2/paragraph/15

policyengine_uk/tests/policy/baseline/finance/benefit/care.yaml

@@ -8,66 +8,6 @@
     num_carers: 1
     carer_premium: 37.5 * 52
 
-- name: Two carers in a benefit unit receive the couple rate
-  # The couple rate equals the single rate here because the couple parameter
-  # holds the single rate; #2001 pays the premium per qualifying person.
-  period: 2020
-  absolute_error_margin: 0
-  input:
-    people:
-      claimant:
-        age: 40
-        is_claimant_or_partner: true
-        is_entitled_to_carer_benefit: true
-      partner:
-        age: 40
-        is_claimant_or_partner: true
-        is_entitled_to_carer_benefit: true
-    benunits:
-      benunit:
-        members: [claimant, partner]
-    households:
-      household:
-        members: [claimant, partner]
-  output:
-    carer_premium: 37.5 * 52
-
-- name: Three carers in a benefit unit stay at the couple rate (regression for #420)
-  # Only the claimant and partner count, so a third carer in the unit adds
-  # nothing.
-  period: 2020
-  absolute_error_margin: 0
-  input:
-    people:
-      claimant:
-        age: 40
-        is_claimant_or_partner: true
-        is_entitled_to_carer_benefit: true
-      partner:
-        age: 40
-        is_claimant_or_partner: true
-        is_entitled_to_carer_benefit: true
-      adult_child:
-        age: 20
-        is_claimant_or_partner: false
-        is_entitled_to_carer_benefit: true
-    benunits:
-      benunit:
-        members: [claimant, partner, adult_child]
-    households:
-      household:
-        members: [claimant, partner, adult_child]
-  output:
-    carer_premium: 37.5 * 52
-
-- name: No carers in a benefit unit receive no premium
-  period: 2020
-  absolute_error_margin: 0
-  input:
-    num_carers: 0
-  output:
-    carer_premium: 0
-
 - name: Carer from 35 hours a week without Carer's Allowance (regulation 30 UC Regs 2013)
   period: 2025
   absolute_error_margin: 0