There are around five million unpaid or informal carers in the UK as of 2023 and many are not taking advantage of the financial support they can claim.
Unpaid carers also provide £193billion of the UK’s social care system each year.
If you care for someone else, you might be entitled to help with your day-to-day living costs often carers are unable to take on full time work alongside their caring responsibilities.
Alongside national financial support, carers are also able to claim help from their local authorities.
However, as each council provides different support and services you will need to contact them to find out what you can be entitled too.
Here we explain what the various Government schemes involve, and how much they pay.
Carer's Allowance
The most common benefit provided to carers is Carer's Allowance and around 1.3million people in the UK claim it.
Carer’s Allowance is paid at £76.75 a week, which amounts to around £332 a month, and nearly £4,000 a year.
To claim, you must be caring for someone else for at least 35 hours a week and be over the age of 16 years.
You must also not be earning more than £139 a week from employment or self-employment - this is after deductions for income tax, National Insurance and pensions.
Alongside this, you can only claim the allowance if the person you care for claims one of the “qualifying benefits”.
These include:
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
One misconception with Carer's Allowance is that you have to be related to the person you are caring for to claim - this is not true you do not need to be related or live with the person to apply.
Carer’s Premium/Carer's Element
Sometimes people can’t be paid Carer’s Allowance because of other benefits, earnings or state pension they’re receiving.
However, if they are entitled to it they may be able to receive a Carer Premium - called a Carer Addition for people of State Pension age - or Carer Element if they receive Universal Credit.
To get this extra cash, you will need to have an "underlying entitlement" to Carer's Allowance.
The extra money will then be paid within any means-tested benefits you may claim.
These can include:
- Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Support
- Council Tax Support/Reduction
- Housing Benefit
- Guarantee Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
The premium is currently worth £42.75 per week, and it is paid at the same time as your other benefits.
The Carer Element - which is paid with Universal Credit - is currently worth £185.86 a month.
You should ask about the Carer Premium at your local Jobcentre Plus or Jobs and Benefits Office.
However, if you qualify, the payment will usually be added automatically.
Someone who receives Carer Premium could also be included in a claim for Council Tax reduction.
To find out, you will need to contact their local council to find out more information.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
If your child has a health condition or a disability you are able to claim Disability Living Allowance from the DWP.
The amount of DLA you get is made up of two parts - these are the "care component" and the "mobility component" and each component is paid at different rates.
The care component is based on how much care and supervision your child needs because of their condition.
The mobility component is based on your child’s ability to walk and how hard they find it to get around places that they don’t know well.
You may be able to get both components depending on the type of care your child needs.
The care components consist of:
- Higher rate - £101.75
- Middle rate - £68.10
- Lower rate - £26.90
The mobility components consist of:
- Higher rate - £71.00
- Lower rate - £26.90
Carer's Credit
Carer’s credits are not paid as a benefit but are a way of protecting your National Insurance record and your state pension.
This scheme helps to make sure that people of working age aren’t missing out on National Insurance Contributions if they take time out of work to care for someone.
Carers who do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance may qualify for Carer’s Credit - people who get Carer's Allowance automatically get Carer's Credit.
You are able to claim Carer's Credits if you are caring for one or more people for at least 20 hours a week and either they get the relevant disability benefit, or a health or social care professional certifies that the care you provide is needed.
There is no income requirement for Carer’s Credit, and you can even take breaks of up to 12 weeks from caring while still benefiting from the credit.
