Carer’s Allowance
You may be entitled to carer's allowance if you care for someone who is sick or disabled. If you are paid carer's allowance, your other benefits may decrease or increase.
Which carers qualify?
Not every carer is eligible for carer's allowance. This is because there are certain rules which include the following.
• You must be over 16.
• You must be spending at least 35 hours a week looking after the sick or disabled person.
• You cannot earn over a certain amount from other work (after allowable expenses).
• You cannot get carer's allowance if you are on a course of full-time education. This means 21 hours a week or more of supervised study.
It does not matter if the sick or disabled person and their carer are related, nor whether they live in the same household.
What benefits must the person being cared for receive?
The person you care for must be receiving one of the following benefits which are paid to them because they need care:
• Attendance Allowance: OR
• The Care Component of Disability Living Allowance, paid at the middle or higher rate: OR
• Constant Attendance Allowance with
• an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, or
• a War Pension
If the person you care for is not receiving one of the above benefits, and you are spending a lot of time caring for them, then they are likely to be entitled to one of these benefits and they should claim. This will give them extra money and also enable you to claim carer's allowance.
How much is carer's allowance?
The personal rate of carer's allowance is £43.15 a week (April 2003 rate).
However, you may not be able to claim carer's allowance in full if you are already receiving certain other benefits. These are called overlapping benefits and include the following.
Incapacity Benefit Severe Disablement Allowance Jobseeker's Allowance Maternity Allowance Retirement Pension Widow's Pension Widow's Allowance Widowed Mother's Allowance
You may be able to receive extra payments for a partner or dependent children, subject to certain conditions.
Because of the complicated rules it may not be easy to work out if you are entitled to carer's allowance. However, many carers do not claim the benefit that is due to them. If you are unsure about your entitlement, contact your local social security office or the national Carer's Allowance Unit (details below) for further details and for a claim form.
How can I claim carer's allowance?
Contact your local social security office for a claim form and any relevant information leaflets. Find your local office in the phone book under Benefits Agency, Jobcentre Plus or Social Security.
You can also download a claim form from the website of the Department for Work and Pensions (www.dwp.gov.uk). The website also gives details of local social security offices and the Carer's Allowance Unit.
When does carer's allowance stop?
• If the person you care for dies, you will still receive carer's allowance for a further 8 weeks. This is to give you some time to adjust and to make plans for the future.
• If you or the person you care for go into hospital or to a residential home then you must tell the Carer's Allowance Unit as the benefit is likely to be stopped after a short time.
• You can take up to 4 weeks holiday away from the person that you care for in every 26 week period without affecting the benefit payments.
Further information
This leaflet only gives a brief summary of carer's allowance and is for guidance only. It does not cover all situations nor is it a full statement of the law. For further information contact your local social security office. Other sources of advice include the following.
Carer's Allowance Unit
Palatine House, Lancaster Road, Preston, PR1 1NS Tel: 01253 856 123 (Textphone: 01772 899 489)
Benefit Enquiry Line
0800 88 22 00 (Textphone: 0800 24 33 55)
Provides information and advice about all benefits to people who are disabled, or their carers.
Citizens Advice Bureau
Provides independent advice on many issues including benefits. Listed in the phone book under 'Citizens Advice Bureaux'.
