5 Things That Count Towards Your 35 Hours of Caring
You're doing more than you think! Most carers massively underestimate their caring hours.
When people hear "35 hours of caring per week," many think it only means hands-on personal care like washing and dressing. The reality? The 35 hours include far more than you might think.
If you're helping a family member, friend, or neighbour who has a disability or health condition, you're probably doing way more caring than you realize. Most carers are shocked when they actually add up their hours and discover they're doing 50, 60, or even 100+ hours of caring every week.
This guide breaks down the 5 main categories of caring activities that count towards your 35 hours for Carer's Allowance. You'll likely recognize yourself in many of these examples.
Before claiming Carer's Allowance, always get advice from Citizens Advice or a welfare rights adviser. Claiming can sometimes affect the benefits of the person you care for, so it's crucial to check you'll both be better off overall.
1Personal Care
This is what most people think of when they hear "caring," but even here, people often underestimate what counts.
What Counts as Personal Care?
Washing and Bathing:
- Running a bath or shower
- Helping someone get in and out of the bath
- Washing their hair
- Helping them wash themselves
- Drying them after washing
- Applying creams or lotions
Dressing:
- Choosing appropriate clothes
- Helping them put clothes on
- Doing up buttons, zips, or laces
- Helping them take clothes of
Toileting:
- Helping them get to the toilet
- Helping them use the toilet
- Helping with continence products
- Cleaning up after accidents
Eating and Drinking:
- Preparing food and drinks
- Cutting up food
- Helping them eat
- Monitoring their food intake
Real-World Example: Sarah's Morning Routine
Sarah helps her mum every morning before work. Let's add up her time:
- 7:00am - Help Mum get out of bed and to the bathroom (15 minutes)
- 7:15am - Run the shower, help her wash, dry her (30 minutes)
- 7:45am - Help her get dressed (20 minutes)
- 8:05am - Make breakfast, give medication (25 minutes)
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes – and that's just the morning!
Sarah does similar help in the evening, adding another 1.5 hours. That's 3 hours per day or 21 hours per week just on personal care.
Even if the person can do some tasks themselves, if they need supervision, prompting, or encouragement, your time counts. Standing by while they shower in case they fall? That counts.
2Health and Medical Support
This is a big one that carers often overlook. Any time spent managing someone's health conditions counts towards your caring hours.
What Counts as Health and Medical Support?
Medication Management:
- Collecting prescriptions from the pharmacy
- Organising medications into doses and boxes
- Reminding them to take medication
- Giving them their medication
- Monitoring for side effects
- Reordering prescriptions
Medical Appointments:
- Booking appointments
- Arranging transport
- Accompanying them to appointments (including travel time)
- Waiting with them
- Taking notes during appointments
- Following up on appointments
Home Treatments:
- Helping with physiotherapy exercises
- Changing dressings
- Monitoring blood sugar levels
- Giving injections
- Using medical equipment
Real-World Example: John's Weekly Medical Tasks
John cares for his wife who has diabetes and mobility issues:
- Monday: Fill dosette box (30 mins), check blood sugar 3x (15 mins), physio exercises (30 mins)
- Tuesday: Collect prescription (45 mins), check blood sugar 3x (15 mins)
- Wednesday: Hospital appointment including travel (3 hours), check blood sugar 3x (15 mins)
- Thursday: Check blood sugar (15 mins), call GP (20 mins), physio (30 mins)
- Friday: Check blood sugar (15 mins), reorder prescriptions (15 mins)
- Weekend: Check blood sugar 6x (30 mins), physio both days (1 hour)
Total: 8 hours 50 minutes per week on health and medical support alone!
Travel time to appointments counts, time spent on hold to medical services counts, and researching their condition online counts too!
3Household Tasks They Can't Do Themselves
This is the category that surprises most carers. If you're doing household tasks that the person you care for can't do themselves (or can't do safely), all of that time counts.
What Counts as Caring-Related Household Tasks?
Cooking and Food:
- Planning meals
- Shopping for groceries
- Preparing and cooking all meals
- Washing up
- Cleaning the kitchen
Cleaning:
- Vacuuming and dusting
- Mopping floors
- Cleaning bathrooms
- Changing bed linens
- Tidying up
Laundry:
- Washing clothes
- Drying and ironing
- Folding and putting away
The Key Question: Could They Do It Themselves?
Household tasks only count if the person you care for couldn't do them themselves due to their disability or health condition.
For example:
- If they have dementia and can't safely use the cooker – cooking counts
- If they have severe arthritis and can't grip cleaning products – cleaning counts
- If they have mobility issues and can't manage stairs – changing bedding counts
Real-World Example: Lisa's Daily Household Tasks
Lisa lives with her father who has severe COPD and uses a wheelchair:
- Morning (2 hours): Make breakfast (20 mins), dishwasher (10 mins), washing (10 mins), change bed (30 mins), vacuum (25 mins), clean bathroom (25 mins)
- Midday (1.5 hours): Online shop (40 mins), make lunch (20 mins), wash up (10 mins), hang washing (20 mins)
- Evening (2 hours): Cook dinner (45 mins), serve and help eat (30 mins), clear up (25 mins), bins (10 mins), fold laundry (20 mins)
Total: 5.5 hours per day = 38.5 hours per week on household tasks alone!
4Supervision and Emotional Support
This is perhaps the most underestimated category of all. Many carers provide 24/7 supervision but think it doesn't "count" because they're not actively doing anything.
It absolutely counts.
What Counts as Supervision and Emotional Support?
Physical Supervision:
- Being present in case they fall
- Watching them to prevent wandering (dementia)
- Monitoring to prevent self-harm
- Staying nearby in case of seizures
- Being available for emergency help
Emotional Support:
- Providing company to combat loneliness
- Encouraging them when they're depressed
- Talking them through anxiety attacks
- Preventing isolation
- Managing challenging behaviors
The "Being There" Factor
If someone needs supervision, your time counts even when you're not actively doing anything. For example:
- Sitting in the same room in case they need help
- Being within earshot in case they fall
- Staying home instead of going out because they can't be left alone
Real-World Example: Mohammed's Supervision Hours
Mohammed cares for his wife who has severe anxiety and can't be left alone:
- Weekdays: Morning supervision (10 hours), evening supervision (25 hours)
- Weekends: All-day supervision (32 hours)
Mohammed is actively supervising 50-60 hours per week, well over the 35-hour requirement.
5Advocacy and Managing Their Affairs
This final category is often completely forgotten, yet many carers spend hours every week on these tasks.
What Counts as Advocacy and Managing Affairs?
Financial Management:
- Paying their bills
- Managing their bank account
- Budgeting for them
- Sorting out their benefits
Benefits and Services:
- Applying for benefits on their behalf
- Filling in PIP or Attendance Allowance forms
- Dealing with benefit reviews
- Arranging social care assessments
Administrative Tasks:
- Opening and sorting post
- Making phone calls on their behalf
- Dealing with utility companies
- Responding to letters
Advocacy:
- Speaking up for them in meetings
- Dealing with hospitals or GPs
- Fighting for their rights
- Researching services and support
Real-World Example: Patricia's Weekly Admin
Patricia manages all affairs for her elderly mother who has dementia:
- Monday: Sort post (30 mins), pay bills (20 mins), phone GP (15 mins)
- Tuesday: Call council about repairs (45 mins), council tax form (40 mins)
- Wednesday: Attend care review meeting (1.5 hours)
- Thursday: Phone pension company (30 mins), update medication list (20 mins)
- Friday: Online food shop (40 mins), check bank statements (25 mins)
- Weekend: Research care homes (1 hour), fill in PIP form (2 hours)
Total: 8 hours 55 minutes per week on administration and advocacy.
Time on hold counts, research time counts, travel to meetings counts, and form-filling definitely counts (PIP forms can take 10+ hours!).
How to Track Your Caring Hours
Now that you understand what counts, how do you track it? Here are some practical strategies:
Keep a Caring Diary
For one or two weeks, write down everything you do for the person you care for. Include the date, time, what you did, and how long it took.
Weekly Tracking Template
| Day | Personal Care | Health/Medical | Household | Supervision | Admin | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | ||||||
| Tue | ||||||
| Wed | ||||||
| Thu | ||||||
| Fri | ||||||
| Sat | ||||||
| Sun |
Next Steps: How to Claim
- Check basic eligibility (16+, 35 hours/week caring, person receives qualifying benefit, earn £196/week or less)
- Get advice FIRST from Citizens Advice (crucial step!)
- Gather your evidence (NI number, bank details, caring diary)
- Apply at www.gov.uk/carers-allowance or call 0800 731 0297
- Be patient - applications take 6-8 weeks
Resources and Support
Carer's Allowance Unit
- Telephone: 0800 731 0297
- Textphone: 0800 731 0317
- Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Citizens Advice
- Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
- Phone: 0800 144 8848
Carers UK
- Helpline: 0808 808 7777
- Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
Final Thoughts: You're Not "Just" Helping
If you're reading this and thinking, "But I'm just helping my mum" or "I'm only doing what anyone would do," please stop.
You're not "just" doing anything. You're providing skilled, essential care that keeps someone safe, maintains their dignity, and makes an enormous difference to their quality of life.
Track your hours. You might be surprised. And then claim what you're entitled to.
You're doing an incredible job. Make sure you get the recognition – and the money – you deserve. 💙