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 get Carer’s Allowance, the person you care for will usually stop getting:
- a severe disability premium paid with their benefits
- an extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit
You can check if their severe disability payment will stop by contacting whoever pays this benefit. This is usually Jobcentre Plus, their local council, the Pension Service Helpline or Universal Credit.
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.
You will not be affected by the benefit cap.
Use a benefits calculator to work out how your other benefits will be affected.
If you get Universal Credit
Your Universal Credit payment will be reduced by an amount equal to your Carer’s Allowance payment.
You may get an extra amount of Universal Credit for caring for someone who gets a disability-related benefit (whether you get Carer’s Allowance or not).
Report a change on your Universal Credit account.
Which benefits you get will affect which National Insurance credits you’re eligible for. If you get:
- Carer’s Allowance payments you get Class 1 National Insurance credits, which help you qualify for some other benefits and State Pension
- Universal Credit you get Class 3 National Insurance credits, which count towards your State Pension only
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’ve reached State Pension age
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.