You may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance if you, the person you care for and the type of care you provide meets certain criteria. The person you care for The person you care for must already get one of these benefits: Personal Independence Payment - daily living component Disability Living Allowance - the middle or highest care rate Attendance Allowance Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension Armed Forces Independence Payment Child Disability Payment - the middle or highest care rate If you care for the person with others You cannot get Carer’s Allowance if you share the care of someone and the other carer is already claiming: Carer’s Allowance for that person the ‘caring for a severely disabled person’ extra amount of Universal Credit for that person If you want to get Carer’s Allowance, speak to the other carer about changing their benefits. If the other carer does not want to do that, you can still apply for Carer’s Allowance. The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) will decide who should receive the benefit. The type of care you provide You need to spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone. This can include: helping with washing and cooking taking the person you care for to a doctor’s appointment helping with household tasks, like managing bills and shopping Your eligibility All of the following must apply: you’re 16 or over you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone you’ve been in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this does not apply if you’re a refugee or have humanitarian protection status) you normally live in England, Scotland or Wales, or you live abroad as a member of the armed forces (you might still be eligible if you’re moving to or already living in an EEA country or Switzerland ) you’re not in full-time education you’re not studying for 21 hours a week or more you’re not subject to immigration control your earnings are £128 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses If you’re from the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, you and your family usually also need settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme to get Carer’s Allowance. The deadline to apply to the scheme was 30 June 2021 for most people, but you might still be able to apply. Check if you can still apply to the EU Settlement Scheme . If your earnings are sometimes more than £128 a week you might still be eligible for Carer’s Allowance. Your average earnings may be calculated to work out if you’re eligible. Calculating your earnings Your earnings are any income from employment and self-employment after tax, National Insurance and expenses. Expenses can include: 50% of your pension contributions equipment you need to do your job, for example specialist clothing travel costs between different workplaces that are not paid for by your employer, for example fuel or train fares business costs if you’re self-employed, for example a computer you only use for work If you pay a carer to look after the disabled person or your children while you work, you can treat care costs that are less than or equal to 50% of your earnings as an expense. The carer must not be your spouse, partner, parent, child or sibling. Example You earn £100 a week (after tax, National Insurance and other expenses) and spend £60 a week on care while you work. You can treat £50 of this as an expense. Payments that do not count as earnings include: money received from an occupational or private pension contributions towards your living or accommodation costs from someone you live with (they cannot be a tenant or boarder) the first £20 a week and 50% of the rest of any income you make from someone boarding in your home a loan or advance payment from your employer If you get State Pension You cannot get the full amount of both Carer’s Allowance and your State Pension at the same time. If your pension is £67.60 a week or more, you will not get a Carer’s Allowance payment. If your pension is less than £67.60 a week, you’ll get a Carer’s Allowance payment to make up the difference. If you get Pension Credit If your State Pension is more than £67.60 a week, you will not get a Carer’s Allowance payment but your Pension Credit payments will increase instead. If you’re not eligible You might be eligible for Carer’s Credit if you’re not eligible for Carer’s Allowance.

Effect on other benefits

Carer’s Allowance can affect the other benefits that both you and the person you care for get. Effect on the benefits of the person you care for When you claim Carer’s Allowance, the person you care for will stop getting: a severe disability premium paid with their benefits an extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit, if they get one They might also stop getting reduced Council Tax. Contact their local council to find out if this affects them. Effect on your benefits When you claim Carer’s Allowance your other benefit payments may change, but your total benefit payments will usually either go up or stay the same. Carer’s Allowance does not count towards the benefit cap . If you get Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, you must contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to tell them about your Carer’s Allowance claim. If you get Pension Credit , your payments will increase if you’re eligible for Carer’s Allowance. If you delay claiming your State Pension , this could increase the State Pension payments you get when you decide to claim it. You cannot build up extra State Pension during any period you get Carer’s Allowance. Use a benefits calculator to work out how your other benefits will be affected.

Before you apply make sure you have your: National Insurance number (if you have a partner you’ll need theirs too) bank or building society details (unless you get your State Pension) employment details and latest payslip if you’re working P45 if you’ve recently finished work course details if you’re studying details of any expenses, for example pension contributions or the cost of caring for your children or the disabled person while you’re at work You also need details of the person you care for. You need their: date of birth and address National Insurance number if they’re 16 or over Disability Living Allowance reference if they’re under 16 You can backdate your claim by up to 3 months. Apply now Other ways to apply If you cannot apply online, you can apply by post . The address to send your application to is at the end of the form. If you disagree with a decision You can challenge a decision about your claim. This is called asking for mandatory reconsideration.

Report a change in circumstances

You must report changes in your circumstances if you’re claiming or have applied for Carer’s Allowance. Changes can include: starting a job starting or ending full-time education changes to your income stopping being a carer the person you care for no longer getting their disability benefit someone else who cares for the same person claiming Carer’s Allowance instead of you someone else who cares for the same person claims the carer’s element of Universal Credit changes to your immigration status, if you’re not a British citizen You must tell the Department for Work and Pensions if the person you’re caring for dies. You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances. If you temporarily stop providing care for someone You can still get Carer’s Allowance if you temporarily stop providing care. This means any period when you spend less than 35 hours a week caring for the other person. The person you care for must still receive their disability benefit. You must tell DWP if you temporarily stop providing care and: you or the person you care for will be in hospital, a nursing home, or respite care for more than 12 weeks you stop caring for more than 28 days for any other reason If you’ve been paid too much You may have to repay the money if you: did not report a change straight away gave wrong information were overpaid by mistake Find out how to repay the money you owe from benefit overpayment .

You can work and get Carer’s Allowance, as long as you spend at least 35 hours in your caring role. You can get support for you or the person you care for from your employer, local councils and other organisations. Time off for an emergency You can ask your employer for time off to deal with an emergency involving someone else who depends on you for care. How much time off you get depends on your situation. If you do not qualify for time off, your employer may allow you ‘compassionate leave’ for emergency situations. Flexible working If you need to work more flexibly, for example work part-time or work from home, you can request flexible working . You do not have to tell your employer about your caring role or give another reason why you need to work more flexibly. Respite care or ‘short break’ care If you need someone to help look after the person you care for while you’re at work, you can apply for respite care (also known as ‘short break’ care). Respite care options include: getting a paid carer or a volunteer to sit with the person you look after for a few hours a regular place in a day care centre for the person you care for Your local council may pay for respite care but you and the person you care for will need an assessment before you can apply. Contact your local authority for information about local support . Advice on starting work If you need help starting or returning to work, contact your local Jobcentre Plus for help on how to combine work with your caring responsibilities.

Carer's Allowance

How it works

You could get £67.60 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits.

You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.

You do not get paid extra if you care for more than one person.

If someone else also cares for the same person as you, only one of you can claim Carer’s Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance can affect the other benefits that you and the person you care for get. You have to pay tax on it if your income is over the Personal Allowance.

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

How you’re paid

You can choose to be paid weekly in advance or every 4 weeks.

It will be paid into an account, for example your bank account.

What else you can get

For each week you get Carer’s Allowance you’ll automatically get National Insurance credits.

You may also be able to apply for:

support from your local council
a Council Tax Reduction
Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or out of work
Pension Credit if you’re over working age
grants and bursaries to help pay for courses and training
Income Support (if you get the severe disability premium and you’re on a low income)
income-based Employment and Support Allowance (if you get the severe disability premium and you cannot work)

If you live in Scotland and get Carer’s Allowance, you may also get Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

Get help and advice

You can get more help and advice from:

View a printable version of the whole guide

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