Understanding Carer’s Allowance: A Guide for People in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

Across the UK today 5.7 million people are carers, supporting a loved one who is older, disabled or seriously ill. Carer’s UK say “A carer is a person of any age who provides unpaid care and support to a family member, friend or neighbour who is disabled, has an illness or long-term condition, or who needs extra help as they grow older”

Carer’s Allowance is a vital financial benefit to people who spend a significant amount of time caring for someone with care needs. This article explores the eligibility criteria, application process, impact on other benefits, rights and responsibilities, and recent changes related to Carer’s Allowance.

Purpl accepts no responsibility for the content of third-party websites and cannot guarantee that all these services mentioned may be able to help. Please note that situations and funding change from time to time. Purpl offer this information to be helpful and in good faith.

---

In this Article

• What is Carer’s Allowance?
• Who is Eligible for Carer’s Allowance
• How to Apply for Carer’s Allowance
• Impact on Other Benefits
• Rights and Responsibilities of Carers
• Carer’s Credit
• Recent Changes and Future Prospects
• Challenges Faced by Carers
• Carers’ Breaks and Respite Care
• Paying for respite care
• How to Appeal a Carer’s Allowance Decision
• Free Resources and Support Services for Carers in the UK
• Conclusion

---

What is Carer’s Allowance?

Carer’s Allowance is a taxable benefit designed to support people who provide at least 35 hours of care per week for someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit. It helps unpaid carers who might otherwise struggle financially due to their caregiving responsibilities. The allowance provides recognition of the essential role carers play in supporting the healthcare system by enabling people with disabilities or illnesses to remain in their own homes.

As of the 2024/2025 tax year, Carer’s Allowance is paid at a rate of £81.90 per week. 

Carer’s Allowance is available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, you need to apply for Carer Support Payment instead of Carer’s Allowance.

---

Who is Eligible for Carer’s Allowance

Eligibility for Carer’s Allowance is determined based on several factors, including your circumstances, the amount of care provided, and the benefits received by the person being cared for. The main criteria include:

1. Age and Residency:
   • You must be at least 16 years old.
   • You must have lived in England, Northern Ireland or Wales for at least two of the last three years (with some exceptions for refugees and those with humanitarian protection).

2. Care Provided:
   • You must provide at least 35 hours of care per week. Care can include helping with tasks such as washing, cooking, shopping, managing medication, and attending medical appointments.

3. Earnings Limit:
   • You must not earn more than £139 per week after taxes, National Insurance contributions, and allowable expenses.

4. Qualifying Benefits for the Person Being Cared For:
   • The person receiving care must be claiming one of the following:
     • Disability Living Allowance (middle or highest care rate)
       
     • Personal Independence Payment (daily living component)
       
     • Attendance Allowance
       
     • Constant Attendance Allowance
       
     • Armed Forces Independence Payment

How to Apply for Carer’s Allowance

Applying for Carer’s Allowance is a straightforward process, which can be done online through the UK government website for England and Wales, online through the Northern Ireland government website for Northern Ireland or by completing a paper application form.  

If you live in Scotland, you need to apply for Carer Support Payment instead of Carer’s Allowance.

The key steps include:

1. Gather Necessary Information:
   • National Insurance number
     
   • Bank or building society details
     
   • Employment details and recent payslips (if applicable)
     
   • Course details if studying
     
   • Details of the person being cared for, including their date of birth and National Insurance number

2. Submit the Application:
   • Apply online via the official GOV.UK website for England and Wales or request a paper form (DS700 or DS700(SP) for those receiving State Pension).
     
   • Apply online via the official NIDirect website for Northern Ireland or request a paper form (DS700 or DS700(SP) for those receiving State Pension).

3. Notification and Backdating:
   • You are usually notified of the decision within a few weeks.
     
   • Claims can be backdated by up to three months if the eligibility criteria were met during that period.

Don’t forget to check if claiming Carer’s Allowance could affect the benefits of the person you care for, such as their Severe Disability Premium. It’s always worth getting a full benefits check to maximise support!

Georgina’s Disability Tips

---

Impact on Other Benefits

Claiming Carer’s Allowance can affect the benefits of you, your partner and the person you care for. 

 It is essential to understand these impacts before applying:

1. Means-Tested Benefits:
   • Carer’s Allowance counts as income and may reduce means-tested benefits like Universal
     Credit. However, it may also increase entitlement to the Carer Element within Universal Credit.

2. State Pension:
   • Carer’s Allowance cannot be paid in addition to the full State Pension, but it can still provide underlying entitlement, which may increase means-tested benefits.

3. Effect on the Care Recipient:
   • The person receiving care may lose the severe disability premium or the extra amount for severe disability if someone claims Carer’s Allowance for them.

Rights and Responsibilities of Carers

Carers have certain rights and responsibilities when receiving Carer’s Allowance:

1. Reporting Changes:
   • You must report any change in circumstances, such as changes in employment, income, or the level of care provided.

2. Working While Claiming:
   • You can work while receiving the allowance, provided your earnings do not exceed the specified limit after deductions.

3. Breaks in Care:
   • Temporary breaks in care (e.g., due to illness or holidays) are allowed for up to 12 weeks in any 26-week period.

4. Carer’s Rights:
   • You are entitled to a Carer’s Assessment by their local authority, which can help identify additional support needs.

If you take breaks from caring (for example, due to illness or holiday), you may still receive Carer’s Allowance for up to 4 weeks. Always report any changes in your circumstances promptly to avoid overpayments or disruptions in your benefit.

Georgina’s Disability Tips

---

Carer’s Credit

If you provide care for at least 20 hours a week but do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Credit is available. This National Insurance credit helps protect future entitlement to the State Pension by filling gaps in the National Insurance record.

Eligibility for Carer’s Credit requires providing care for someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit. Unlike Carer’s Allowance, there is no earnings limit, and it does not affect other benefits.

You do not need to apply for Carer’s Credit if you:

• get Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment – you’ll automatically get credits
• get Child Benefit for a child under the age of 12 – you’ll automatically get credits
• are a foster carer – you can apply for National Insurance credits instead

Apply using the Carer’s Credit claim form. The form includes a Care Certificate – ask a health or social care professional to sign it for you.

---

Recent Changes and Future Prospects

The government periodically reviews Carer’s Allowance to reflect changes in the economic environment and the needs of carers. Recent discussions have focused on:

1. Increased Earnings Limit:
   • There have been calls to raise the earnings limit to encourage more carers to remain in employment without losing benefits.

2. Higher Weekly Rate:
   • Advocacy groups continue to push for an increase in the weekly payment to reflect the actual costs of caring.

3. Carer’s Leave:
   • The introduction of statutory unpaid carer’s leave under new employment legislation provides additional support, allowing carers to balance work and caregiving duties.

4. Digital Improvements:
   • Efforts to simplify the application process through digital enhancements are ongoing, aimed at reducing processing times and improving user experience.

Carers are holding families together, enabling those they care for to get the most out of life, making an enormous contribution to society and saving the economy billions of pounds. 

Yet many are stretched to the limit – juggling care with work and family life, struggling to make ends meet and often battling with poor health themselves.

Carers UK

---

Challenges Faced by Carers

Despite the support Carer’s Allowance provides, many carers face significant challenges:

1. Financial Hardship:
   • The weekly amount of Carer’s Allowance is often insufficient to cover living costs, leading many carers into financial hardship.

2. Mental and Physical Health:
   • The demands of caregiving can lead to burnout, stress, and health issues among carers.

3. Lack of Recognition:
   • Many carers feel their contributions are undervalued, with limited access to support services.

If you’re eligible for Carer’s Allowance, make sure you’re also claiming any additional benefits or premium entitlements you may qualify for, such as the Carer Premium, Carer Addition, or Carer Element in Universal Credit. These extra amounts can boost your income without affecting your Carer’s Allowance.

Georgina’s Disability Tips

---

Carers’ Breaks and Respite Care

Respite care means taking a break from caring, while the person you care for is looked after by someone else. It helps you to take time to look after yourself, your own needs and helps you to stop feeling too overwhelmed, exhausted and burnt out.

The main types of respite care are:

• day care centres
  
• homecare from a paid carer
  
• a short stay in a care home
  
• getting friends and family to help
  
• respite holidays
  
• sitting services

Your local council or local carers’ centre can give you information about local support.

Find your local authority adult social care services (England only) and here you can find your nearest carers’ service

Your mental and emotional health is important. Remember on an airplane, you are told to put your own oxygen mask on first before helping someone else. This is because if you are too unwell to care for yourself, you cannot help anyone else.

Georgina’s Disability Tips

---

How to Appeal a Carer’s Allowance Decision

If you disagree with a decision about Carer’s Allowance, you can challenge a decision about your claim – this is called ‘mandatory reconsideration’ and it is free to ask for.

You can ask for mandatory reconsideration if any of the following apply:

• you think the office dealing with your claim has made an error or missed important evidence
• you disagree with the reasons for the decision
• you want to have the decision looked at again

You need to ask for mandatory reconsideration within one month of the date of the decision. You can ask for it after one month, but you need to have a good reason, for example if you’ve been in hospital or had a bereavement.

To ask for mandatory reconsideration, you need to contact the benefits office that gave you the decision. You can contact them:

• using your journal (if you have access to a Universal Credit account and the decision is about Universal Credit)
• by phone
• by letter
• by filling in and returning a form for asking for mandatory reconsideration

The contact details are on your decision letter.

Free Resources and Support Services for Carers in the UK

In addition to Carer’s Allowance, a variety of free resources and services are available to support carers in the UK:

1. Local Authority Support:
   • Local councils offer Carer’s Assessments, which can identify needs and arrange additional support such as respite care, equipment, and home adaptations.

2. Carers UK:
   • Carers UK is a national charity that provides comprehensive advice, information, and peer support networks. They also offer online forums and helplines for carers seeking guidance.

3. NHS Carer Support Services:
   • Some NHS trusts provide tailored services for carers, including counseling, training programs, and support groups.

4. Respite Care:
   • Respite services, often arranged through local authorities, allow carers to take breaks from their duties while ensuring the person they care for is looked after.

5. Carer Cafes and Support Groups:
   • Local communities often host carer cafes and support groups, offering opportunities for socialisation and mutual support.
   • Carers Trust: carer services near you
   • Age UK: friendship services
   • Royal Voluntary Society (RVS): supporting people
   • Independent Age: community services

6. Educational Resources:
   • Free training and educational programs are available, helping carers develop skills to provide effective care.

7. Financial Advice and Advocacy:
   • Organisations such as Citizens Advice offer free guidance on managing finances, accessing benefits, and understanding carers’ rights.

8. Online Resources:
   • Websites like GOV.UK and NHS.UK provide up-to-date information on carers’ rights, health advice, and benefit entitlements.

9. Self-Advocacy Support:
   • Self-advocacy is about speaking up for yourself. Carer’s UK have produced a guide to help you communicate your needs with professionals, understand your rights and look after your wellbeing.
10. Dementia Support:
    • MindforYou offers supported holidays in the UK for people who are living with dementia and their carers to enjoy together
11. Holiday Funds:
    • Family Fund has grants towards the cost of holidays for families on a low income who are caring for a child with a disability or serious illness
    • Family Holiday Charity has breaks at holiday sites, or grants to help with the cost of a holiday, for low-income families. You need to be referred by your social worker, GP or health visitor, or by a charity or other welfare agent
    • We have a guide to Holiday funds and grants here.

---

Conclusion

Carer’s Allowance supports unpaid carers across the UK who dedicate their time to caring for loved ones. Understanding the eligibility criteria, application process, and impact on other benefits is vital for you to maximise the support available.

However, there remains significant scope for improvement. Increased financial support, higher earning thresholds, and better access to health and social care services would greatly benefit carers. As the government continues to review its policies, the voices and experiences of carers must remain central to any reforms.

Ultimately, supporting carers means supporting the broader healthcare system and society. By ensuring carers receive adequate financial, emotional, and practical support, the UK can build a more compassionate and resilient community for all its citizens.

---

About the Author

Georgina is the founder of Purpl Disabled Discounts, she understands the financial challenges that come with living with a disability as she has MS and ADHD. She is on a mission to help the disabled community save money through discounts on everyday products and services, as well as creating a place to support every person living with a disability in the UK. You can read her story about why she launched Purpl and her ultimate goal of launching a foundation to give grants to disabled people in the UK.

---

Are you a Purpl member?

Joining Purpl couldn’t be simpler! If you are a disabled person in the UK who has one of our eligibility documents, then you can join Purpl for free and start saving money on the brands you love the most! We are the UK’s first disabled discount website to help offset the cost of living with disabilities. We see discounts for everyone else like student discounts, key-worker discounts, NHS discounts and the disabled community had been left behind. We are a disabled discount site created by a disabled founder, for disabled people.

---

Related Benefit Guides

Blue Badge Guide – Parking for Disabled People in the UK
Making Home Life Easier: A Guide to Disabled Facilities Grants in the UK
How to Apply for Access to Work – Disabled People in Work
How to Save Money if you Live with a Disability in the UK

---

Related Disabled Discounts

Morrisons Disabled Discount Code: 10% off your grocery shopping
Glamsticks Disabled Discount Code: 10% off for new customers
Taking Care Disabled Discount Code: £40 off Personal Alarms