What is Carer's Allowance?

Carer's Allowance is a benefit paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to people who regularly care for someone with substantial caring needs. You don't need to be related to the person you care for, and you don't need to live with them to qualify.

Carer's Allowance is paid directly into your bank account every week or every four weeks, depending on your preference. The money is for you to use as you need. It's not means-tested, so your savings won't affect your eligibility.

Who Can Claim Carer's Allowance?

To qualify for Carer's Allowance, you need to meet all of these conditions:

1. You Must Be 16 or Over

There's no upper age limit. You can claim Carer's Allowance even if you're over State Pension age, though this may affect how much you receive (see the section on State Pension below).

2. You Must Spend at Least 35 Hours a Week Caring

This includes time spent:

• Helping with personal care (washing, dressing, toileting)
• Giving medication or helping with medical treatments
• Taking the person to medical appointments
• Helping with household tasks they can't do themselves
• Providing emotional support and supervision
• Managing their finances or advocating on their behalf

The 35 hours don't need to be consecutive; they can be spread throughout the week, including evenings and weekends. You don't need to provide care every single day.

3. The Person You Care For Must Receive a Qualifying Disability Benefit

The person you care for must already be receiving one of these benefits:

4. Your Earnings Must Be Below the Limit

You can work and claim Carer's Allowance, but your earnings must be £196 or less per week after certain deductions.

Deductions you can make from your earnings include:

• Income tax
• National Insurance contributions
• Half of your pension contributions
• Travel costs between different workplaces (that aren't paid by your employer)
• Business costs if you're self-employed (e.g., equipment, supplies)
• Up to 50% of your earnings for care costs (if you pay someone to look after the disabled person or your children while you work, and that person isn't a close relative)

5. You Must Not Be in Full-Time Education

You cannot claim Carer's Allowance if you're in full-time education (usually defined as 21 hours or more of supervised study per week). However, you may be eligible for other support.

6. Residency Requirements

You must:

• Normally live in England, Scotland, or Wales
• Have been in England, Scotland, or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this doesn't apply if you're a refugee or have humanitarian protection status)

If you live abroad as a member of the armed forces, you may still be eligible.

How Carer's Allowance Affects Other Benefits

Claiming Carer's Allowance can affect both your benefits and those of the person you care for. It's important to understand these interactions before applying.

If You Receive State Pension

You cannot receive the full amount of both Carer's Allowance and State Pension at the same time:

• If your State Pension is £83.30 or more per week, you won't receive a Carer's Allowance payment, but you may have "underlying entitlement". This can increase your Pension Credit if you claim it.
• If your State Pension is less than £83.30 per week, you'll receive Carer's Allowance to top it up to £83.30.

If You Receive Universal Credit

Carer's Allowance counts as income for Universal Credit purposes, which means your Universal Credit payment will reduce by the same amount (£83.30 per week). However, it's still worth claiming Carer's Allowance because:

• You'll automatically receive National Insurance credits
• You may also qualify for the Carer Element in Universal Credit (worth £201.68 per month in 2025/26), which you can receive even if you don't get Carer's Allowance

How It Affects the Person You Care For

When you claim Carer's Allowance, the person you care for may lose certain additions to their means-tested benefits, such as:

• The Severe Disability Premium (in older benefits like Income Support or Housing Benefit)
• The Severe Disability Addition in Pension Credit

The amounts they lose can be significant – sometimes more than the £83.30 per week you'd gain from Carer's Allowance.

Other Benefits That May Be Affected

Carer's Allowance is taken into account when working out entitlement to:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Council Tax Support

Additional Benefits of Claiming Carer's Allowance

National Insurance Credits

For each week you receive Carer's Allowance, you automatically get National Insurance credits. These protect your future State Pension entitlement, even if you're not working or not earning enough to pay National Insurance contributions yourself.

This is particularly valuable for carers who have had to reduce their working hours or stop working altogether to care for someone.

Help with Employment and Support Allowance

If you become too ill to work, the National Insurance credits you've earned through Carer's Allowance can help you qualify for "New Style" Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) – even if you haven't paid enough National Insurance contributions through employment.

Council Tax Discounts

Some carers may be entitled to Council Tax discounts or exemptions. The rules vary by local authority, so contact your council to find out what's available in your area.

Increases to Means-Tested Benefits

If you receive means-tested benefits like Universal Credit, Pension Credit, or Housing Benefit, claiming Carer's Allowance can sometimes increase your entitlement through additional carer elements or premiums.

How to Apply for Carer's Allowance

You can apply for Carer's Allowance online or by post. The online application is usually quicker and easier.

Apply Online

Visit www.gov.uk/carers-allowance and click "Apply now". You'll need:

• Your National Insurance number
• Your bank or building society details
• Details of your earnings (if you work)
• Information about any education courses you're taking
• The National Insurance number and date of birth of the person you care for
• Details of the disability benefit the person you care for receives

Apply by Post

Download and print form DS700 from GOV.UK, or call the Carer's Allowance Unit to request a form:

Telephone: 0800 731 0297
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
Welsh language: 0800 731 0453
Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm

If you're over State Pension age, use form DS700(SP) instead.

How Long Does It Take?

You should receive a decision within 6 weeks of applying. Your first payment will be made within a few days of the decision being made.

Backdating

Carer's Allowance can be backdated for up to 3 months from the date you apply. If the person you care for was awarded their qualifying benefit in the last 3 months, you may be able to backdate your claim even further.

Reporting Changes in Your Circumstances

You must tell the Carer's Allowance Unit about any changes that might affect your claim. This includes:

• Your caring hours drop below 35 hours per week
• You start or stop working, or your earnings change
• You start a course of education
• You move house or go abroad
• You go into hospital or a care home
• The person you care for goes into hospital, a care home, or passes away
• The person you care for stops receiving their qualifying disability benefit
• Someone else starts caring for the same person and wants to claim Carer's Allowance

You can report changes online through your Carer's Allowance account, or by calling the Carer's Allowance Unit.

If the Person You Care For Dies

Your Carer's Allowance will continue for up to 8 weeks after the death of the person you were caring for. This gives you time to adjust and make new arrangements.

You must report the death within 3 weeks. Contact the Bereavement Service Helpline:

Telephone: 0800 731 0469
Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm

Carer's Credit – An Alternative to Carer's Allowance

If you don't qualify for Carer's Allowance (for example, because you earn too much or you're in full-time education), you may still be able to claim Carer's Credit.

Carer's Credit is a National Insurance credit that protects your State Pension even if you're not eligible for Carer's Allowance. To qualify, you must care for someone for at least 20 hours per week (not 35 hours like Carer's Allowance).

Carer's Credit doesn't give you any money now, but it ensures that your caring years don't create gaps in your National Insurance record that could reduce your State Pension in the future.

To apply for Carer's Credit, download form CA9176 from GOV.UK or contact the Carer's Allowance Unit.

Common Questions About Carer's Allowance

Getting Help and Support

If you need advice about Carer's Allowance or other benefits, free help is available: