Carer's Allowance

If you are currently spending thirty-five hours or more a week, that is, Sunday to Saturday, caring for someone who is receiving either Attendance Allowance or Disability Living Allowance, and you are over sixteen years of age, you may be entitled to claim Carer’s Allowance. The person you are caring for does not have to be your relative, nor must you live with them to qualify for this benefit. If the person you are looking after has more than one carer, only one carer can be paid Carer’s Allowance. If you look after several people who qualify for disability benefits you cannot add the hours you spend with each individual together to reach the thirty-five hour a week total. If you and your partner care for each other, you can both claim Carer’s Allowance. Your savings will not be taken into account when determining your eligibility for receiving this benefit. You should be a UK resident, and have lived in the UK for at least twenty-six weeks of the year before you claim.

You are not eligible to receive Carer’s Allowance if you are currently in full-time education at school, college or university for twenty-one hours or more each week. You are also not entitled to Carer’s Allowance if you earn more than £95 a week after tax and expenses. Once expenses, including National Insurance contributions, pension scheme contributions and work expenses have been deducted from your income, half of the remainder should not exceed £95. The remainder is halved because it is expected you will spend roughly this amount paying for the person you care for to receive care from someone else whilst you are at work. If your right to reside and remain as a resident in the UK is currently undetermined or restricted by the Home Office you will not be entitled to receive Carer’s Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance is currently set at £48.65 a week. If you receive other benefits including the State Pension, see State Pensions, which total this amount or more, you will not be entitled to Carer’s Allowance as well. When you apply for other means-tested benefits, your Carer’s Allowance will count as income. If your spouse is solely dependent on you, you may be entitled to an extra £29.05 a week. You will also receive a £10 Christmas Bonus if you are entitled to Carer’s Allowance, but you will not receive this if you receive a Christmas Bonus (see Christmas Bonus) from another benefit. If the person you care for dies, you may be entitled to continue claiming Carer’s Allowance for eight weeks after their death. Carer’s Allowance is taxable, but it is not affected by any savings that you may have. Whilst you are receiving this benefit you will be credited as having paid Class One National Insurance contributions (see National Insurance contribution classes), so your State Pension rights will be protected. If you are claiming Carer’s Allowance then the person who you care for may have their benefits reduced

To claim Carer’s Allowance you will need to contact the Carer’s Allowance Unit on 01253 856 123. You can also contact the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00 and ask for a claim form. If you are entitled to Carer’s Allowance, it will be paid by direct debit into an account you nominate. If you would prefer to receive your money in a different way, or have someone else access it for you, you should inform the Carer’s Allowance Unit when you claim. If you claim Carer’s Allowance but are not entitled to receive it, contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau for help appealing the decision. You are required to inform the benefits service if your circumstances, or those of the person you care for, change at any time.