Carer's Allowance is a weekly benefit available to people who care for a disabled adult or child.
Who can claim Carer's Allowance?
You can claim Carer's Allowance if:
- You are aged 16 or over, AND
- You spend 35 hours or more a week caring for a child or adult, AND
- The child or adult gets Attendance Allowance, or the middle or higher care rate of Disability Living Allowance, AND
- You earn no more than £95 a week (from 1 Oct 2007) net from any paid work that you do. Some care costs and work expenses can be deducted in working out this net figure - get advice.
Note: Since October 2002 men and women aged 65 and over can newly claim Carer's Allowance.
Note: If you are of working age, when you first claim Carer's Allowance, you no longer have to attend interviews to discuss work options with Jobcentre Plus. This follows a change made in October 2005. However, if you are also claiming Income Support, Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance, you may be invited for an interview to discuss work after about eight weeks. You can ask them to delay interviews if you have a good reason - seek advice.
Find out more about Carer's Allowance including how to claim
Facts about Carer's Allowance and Other Benefits
If you get Incapacity Benefit, Retirement Pension, Widows or Bereavement Benefits, you may not actually be paid Carer's Allowance. But, it could still be worth claiming to give you extra in other benefits. Get advice.
You cannot claim extra Retirement Pension or Incapacity Benefit for your husband, wife, or, from December 2005, your civil partner, if they get Carer's Allowance.
Carer's Allowance is counted in full when the Department for Work and Pensions works out how much weekly Income Support or Pension Credit to pay you, but they will also add on some extra money - the Carer's Premium or Increase.
CHECK - Whether claiming Carer's Allowance would take you off Income Support, or the guarantee part of Pension Credit, because this may reduce other benefits.
CHECK - If the person you care for gets the Severe Disability Premium with their Income Support, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit, or Severe Disability Increase with their Pension Credit, they could lose money if you claim Carer's Allowance. Get advice about which to claim.
Find out more about Other benefit issues for carers
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Information Provider:
Manchester Advice
This information is for guidance only and is not an authoritative statement on the law. Please read our Terms and Conditions.
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