Carer's Allowance in Detail

To be eligible for Carer's Allowance you must meet all of the following:

• Age — You must be 16 or over. There is no upper age limit, but drawing a state pension of more than £81.90 per week means you cannot be paid Carer's Allowance (though you may have an underlying entitlement that affects other benefits);
• Care provision — You must provide at least 35 hours of care per week. The care does not need to be personal care — it includes help with shopping, appointments, and other support;
• The person you care for — Must be receiving Attendance Allowance, the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA), or certain other qualifying benefits;
• Earnings — Your net weekly earnings (after tax, National Insurance, pension contributions, and 50% of private pension contributions) must not exceed £151 per week;
• Not in full-time education — You must not be in full-time education (21 or more hours per week of supervised study).

Carer's Allowance interacts in complex ways with other benefits:

• Overlapping benefits rule — You cannot be paid both Carer's Allowance and another overlapping benefit (such as State Pension, Employment and Support Allowance, or Bereavement Support Payment) at the same time. You can only be paid the higher of the two (or Carer's Allowance if equal). However, you may retain an underlying entitlement to Carer's Allowance which can boost means-tested benefits;
• Carer premium / element — Claiming Carer's Allowance (or having an underlying entitlement) triggers an additional premium or element in means-tested benefits — the carer premium in Pension Credit or Housing Benefit, or the carer element in Universal Credit. This can significantly increase the value of the overall benefits package;
• Effect on the cared-for person — If the person you care for receives means-tested benefits, their benefits may be reduced because your Carer's Allowance counts as part of their household income in some assessments. The severe disability premium in their benefits may also be affected. Check carefully before claiming.

Carer's Allowance is claimed through the DWP either online at gov.uk/carers-allowance or by post using form DS700. You will need: your National Insurance number; bank account details; details of the qualifying benefit the person you care for receives; and details of any earnings.

Claims are backdated by up to three months in most cases. It is worth checking whether you would have qualified at an earlier date and claiming the full backdated amount.

An important benefit of claiming (or having an underlying entitlement to) Carer's Allowance is the receipt of Carer's Credits. These are National Insurance credits awarded to carers who provide at least 20 hours of care per week but do not pay NI contributions (for example, because they do not work or earn below the NI threshold). Carer's Credits protect your state pension entitlement. Even if you cannot receive the payment of Carer's Allowance, applying for Carer's Credits separately ensures your pension is protected.