If you're a carer, you may be entitled to an extra cash payment as well as a Christmas bonus.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can award carers an additional £69.70 a week - equal to £278 a month, or over £3,000 a year. To qualify for Carer's Allowance, the claimant must be at least 16 years old and should be spending a minimum of 35 hours a week caring for someone.
The claimant must also live in England, Scotland, or Wales and have earnings of £132 a week or less, after tax, National Insurance and expenses. Despite this, Carer's Allowance is not dependent on National Insurance contributions and is therefore not means-tested, which means it is not based on a claimant's personal income or savings.
