Carer's Allowance

You must be 16 or over and spending 35 hours or more a week caring for someone who receives 1 of the benefits below to qualify for Carer's Allowance:

• Attendance Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment daily living component (either rate)
• Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or highest rate
• Constant Attendance Allowance from either maximum Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit or full day rate of War Pension Disablement Benefit
• Armed Forces Independence Payment

You must also:

• be aged 16 or over at the time of your claim
• have been living in the UK for 2 of the last 3 years (and your immigration status doesn't prevent you claiming)
• be 'habitually resident' in the UK 
• not be in full-time education (which means you're not on an educational course of 21 hours or more supervised study a week)
• not earn more than £196 a week (after tax), if you're in paid employment.

Some of the rules are different in Northern Ireland. Visit NI Direct's webpage about Carer's Allowance to find out more. 

Yes. You can't be paid Carer's Allowance if you're getting the same amount or more from any of the following benefits:

• State Pension
• Contribution/new-style Employment and Support Allowance
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Maternity Allowance
• Bereavement Allowance, Widow's Benefits or Widowed Parent's Allowance
• Contribution-based/new-style Jobseeker's Allowance

These benefits 'overlap', so you can only get paid the higher of the 2 benefits.

Why should I claim Carer's Allowance?

If you can't be paid Carer's Allowance because of the overlapping benefits rule, you should still make a claim if you're eligible. This may allow you to claim extra or other benefits, even if you can't receive Carer's Allowance itself.

For example, if you qualify for Carer's Allowance, you can get a £46.40-a-week 'carer premium' included in Pension Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Housing Benefit.

You can also get £201.68 per month included in your Universal Credit. The Universal Credit amount is paid if the care is provided even if you don't claim Carer's Allowance.

For each week that you're entitled to Carer's Allowance, you also get a Class 1 National Insurance credit. This will help towards your entitlement to a State Pension.

If you're in England or Wales, you can apply online on the GOV.UK website. Or you can get a paper claim form by phoning 0800 731 0297 (textphone 0800 731 0317).

If you're in Northern Ireland, you can apply online on the NI Direct website. Paper claim forms are available by phoning 0800 587 0912 (textphone 0800 012 1574).

Carer's Credit is intended to protect the State Pension rights of carers who aren't able to pay National Insurance contributions and aren't entitled to Carer's Allowance.

You could get it if you care for someone for at least 20 hours a week and aren't entitled to Carer's Allowance.

You won't directly receive any money for Carer's Credit. But by filling any gaps in your National Insurance record (for example, because you're unable to work while caring for someone) it will help to protect your State Pension entitlement and other benefits that depend on National Insurance contributions. 

You can claim Carer's Credit online on the GOV.UK website, or call 0800 731 0297 (textphone 0800 731 0317).