You could get £83.30 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) and in an easy read format . 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 If you live in Scotland You need to apply for Carer Support Payment instead of Carer’s Allowance. If you move from England or Wales to Scotland If you get Carer’s Allowance and move from England or Wales to Scotland, you must: tell DWP make a new claim for Carer Support Payment You must also tell DWP and apply for Carer Support Payment if either: you’re waiting for the outcome of a Carer’s Allowance application you’ve challenged a decision about your Carer’s Allowance claim Your Carer’s Allowance will stop 13 weeks after you move – apply for Carer Support Payment as soon as possible after moving or your payments could be affected. If you move from Scotland to England or Wales If you get Carer Support Payment, you must: report your move to Social Security Scotland make a new claim for Carer’s Allowance Your Carer Support Payment will stop 13 weeks after you move – apply for Carer’s Allowance as soon as possible after moving or your payments could be affected.

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.

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 If you live in Scotland If you live in Scotland, you need to apply for Carer Support Payment instead of Carer’s Allowance. Other ways to apply If you cannot apply online, you can apply by post or call the Carer’s Allowance Unit to request a form. General enquiries Telephone: 0800 731 0297 Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0297 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on mobile or tablet Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm Find out about call charges Get help and advice You can get independent help and advice from: the charity Carers UK the charity Carers Trust Citizens Advice 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 you or the person you care for changing address 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 £83.30 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) and in an easy read format.

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

If you live in Scotland

You need to apply for Carer Support Payment instead of Carer’s Allowance.

If you move from England or Wales to Scotland

If you get Carer’s Allowance and move from England or Wales to Scotland, you must:

You must also tell DWP and apply for Carer Support Payment if either:

you’re waiting for the outcome of a Carer’s Allowance application
you’ve challenged a decision about your Carer’s Allowance claim

Your Carer’s Allowance will stop 13 weeks after you move – apply for Carer Support Payment as soon as possible after moving or your payments could be affected.

If you move from Scotland to England or Wales

If you get Carer Support Payment, you must:

report your move to Social Security Scotland
make a new claim for Carer’s Allowance

Your Carer Support Payment will stop 13 weeks after you move – apply for Carer’s Allowance as soon as possible after moving or your payments could be affected.

View a printable version of the whole guide

Carer's Allowance

How it works

How you’re paid

What else you can get

If you live in Scotland

If you move from England or Wales to Scotland

If you move from Scotland to England or Wales

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Carer's Allowance

How it works

How you’re paid

What else you can get

If you live in Scotland

If you move from England or Wales to Scotland

If you move from Scotland to England or Wales

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