Do you qualify for Carer’s Allowance? Why apply? Find out more about the financial support that may be available if you are an unpaid carer or on a low income.
If you spend a lot of time looking after someone with an illness or disability, you may be entitled to extra money in the form of a benefit called Carer’s Allowance.
We explain what Carer’s Allowance is, who can claim it, your responsibilities whilst receiving it, how to apply and what you can do if you’re turned down.
If you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone with an illness or disability, you may be eligible for extra money called Carer’s Allowance.
It is paid at a rate of £81.90 per week (2024/25).
You may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance if all the following apply:
• You look after someone for at least 35 hours a week.
• You don’t earn more than £151 per week (after deductions including tax, national insurance and certain expenses). Find out more about the earnings limit.
• The person you care for receives a disability benefit (see below).
• You’re aged 16 or over.
• You’re not in full-time education.
• You meet UK residence and presence conditions and UK immigration conditions – Citizens Advice has detailed information on this. Contact Advice NI if you live in Northern Ireland.
For more details about each of the above requirements, read on and take a look at our Carer’s Allowance factsheet.
They must receive one of the following:
Importantly your National Insurance record will help to build your entitlement to certain state benefits, such as the State Pension and Maternity Allowance. Carer’s Allowance counts towards your National Insurance record.
How does this work?
You’ll automatically get National Insurance credits for each week you receive Carer’s Allowance.
For each week that you receive Carer’s Allowance, you automatically get a Class 1 NI credit to help protect your record. These class 1 credits can help meet the conditions for a number of benefits: new-style Jobseeker’s Allowance, new-style Employment and Support Allowance, Maternity Allowance, and some bereavement benefits as well as the State Pension.
You can check your contribution record on the UK Government website here. Class 3 credits will help towards your State Pension, but for other benefits you will need to check the different eligibility conditions as class 1 credits alone may not be sufficient.
Carer's Credit
If you can’t claim Carer’s Allowance, claiming Carer’s Credit is another way of protecting your record.
You do not get paid any money if you claim Carer's Credit, but you get a class 3 NI contribution credit to help protect your record.
Both Class 1 and Class 3 credits count towards the State Pension and some bereavement benefits. However Class 3 credits do not count towards the contribution conditions for new-style Jobseeker’s Allowance, new-style Employment and Support Allowance and Maternity Allowance.
Find out more about Carer's Credit.
If you are receiving a State Pension, you won’t be able to claim Carer’s Allowance at the same time, but may still benefit from what is known as an ‘underlying entitlement’ to it.
Benefits for the person you care for
Carer’s Allowance will not reduce or stop certain disability benefits (such as PIP, Attendance Allowance, DLA) the person you care for is receiving. However it can sometimes affect any means-tested benefits they get.
If the person you care for receives a “severe disability premium” paid with any of their means-tested benefits (such as income-related ESA or an extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit), this will stop when you claim Carer’s Allowance.
These severe disability amounts can also affect the amount of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support/Reduction a person may get so if you have any doubts, it is a good idea to arrange a benefit check. Email our Carers UK Helpline team, advice@carersuk.org or as a starting point, you could try out this benefits calculator: www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support/help-with-benefits/turn2us-benefits-calculator
Benefits you claim
You can’t usually claim and be paid Carer’s Allowance if you’re already claiming State Pension or income-replacement benefits such as contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance or contribution- based Jobseeker’s Allowance. The exception is if these benefits pay you less than £81.90 a week, in which case Carer’s Allowance can top up your income to this amount. These benefits tend to pay more than Carer’s Allowance so this rarely applies.
However, it’s still worth making a claim for Carer’s Allowance if you’re receiving these benefits.
This is because you may be entitled to what’s called an ‘underlying entitlement’. This means you meet the qualifying conditions for Carer’s Allowance but can’t be paid it because of another benefit you receive.
You will be sent a letter evidencing your underlying entitlement to the benefit, which can be useful to help prove your caring role if needed. It would also mean that any means-tested benefit you’re already receiving could be increased, or you could become entitled to a means-tested benefit for the first time.
If you live in Northern Ireland
Step 1: you can apply online at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/apply-carers-allowance-online or contact the Disability Carers Service on 0800 587 0912 (textphone: 0800 012 1574). You can also apply by post. Request a DS700 form or a DS700(SP) form if you’re getting a State Pension.
Step 2:You can follow the guidance on the gov.uk website to help, or ask for assistance if needed from a local advice agency. Local carer organisations can also offer support – find yours using our directory.