Financial help if you are caring for someone with a disability or illness

Carer’s Allowance

You may get Carer’s Allowance if you care for an adult or child for at least 35 hours per week. The care you provide can include helping the person you care for to wash, cook, shop and attend medical appointments. The person you care for does not have to live with or be related to you.

You can only receive one award of Carer’s Allowance even if you care for more than one person for more than 35 hours each.

You can get Carer’s Allowance, providing you meet the other criteria, if you are disabled or have a carer yourself.

If the person you care for has several carers only one can receive Carer’s Allowance.

How much is it?

Carer’s Allowance is £76.75 per week. The figure from April 24 will be £81.90.

Who can get Carer’s Allowance?

You can get Carer’s Allowance if:-

• you are 16 or over and
• provide care, day and/or night, for at least 35 hours per week. If you care for more than one person for less than 35 hours each you cannot add the hours together in order to claim carer’s allowance.
• the child or young person you care for is getting Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Child Disability Payment care component at the middle or high rate, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component at any rate,
• the adult you care for is getting DLA care component at the middle or high rate, PIP daily living component or Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance or Armed Force Independence Payment.

You cannot get Carer’s Allowance if:-

• you earn, on average, £139.00 p/w (£151.00 p/w from April 24) or more after tax and National Insurance contributions
• you are a full time student

The person you care for may be entitled to less benefit if you get Carer’s Allowance for them.  Get expert help from someone with experience in this area such as a welfare rights worker.

Earnings and Carer’s Allowance

You can work and get tax credits or Universal Credit as well as Carer’s Allowance but there is a ‘weekly earnings limit’ of £139.00 (from April 24 this will be £151.00).

If you earn more than this figure you will not get Carer’s Allowance. However some income, such as pension contributions, travel expenses and childcare costs can reduce the earnings that are counted for Carer’s Allowance.

If you are not working, or give up work to care for someone, you may be able to get the standard allowance and carer’s element of Universal Credit as well as Carer’s Allowance.

Talk to an adviser about how much you will get or for more information see GOV.uk.

How to claim Carer’s Allowance

You can apply for Carer’s Allowance online or download the application form at GOV.UK. You can also call the Carer’s Allowance Unit and ask for the application from to be sent to you.

What to do if you are told you cannot get Carer’s Allowance

If you are told you cannot get Carer’s Allowance you can ask for the claim to be looked at again. This is called a mandatory reconsideration. After this is done you can appeal if necessary. A welfare rights officer from your local council or Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to help you with this.

For more information see:- gov.uk/appeal-benefit-decision

Extra money for carers in Scotland

If you are receiving Carer’s Allowance you will also receive a supplement from the Scottish Government.  It is paid automatically into your bank account in June and December.

The next two payments will be in June and December 24 for £288.60.

A new benefit to replace Carer’s Allowance in Scotland, called Scottish Carer’s Allowance, will be introduced by the Scottish Government. It will combine Carer’s Allowance and the supplement.

Young Carer Grant

If you are 16, 17 or 18 years old and care for someone who is getting Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component, Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Child Disability Payment care component at middle or highest rate, Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance or Armed Forces Independence Payment you may be able to claim a young carer’s grant.

How much is it?

The grant of £359.65 (from April 24 this will be £383.75) is paid once a year and you may be able to get it for 3 years.

How to apply

To apply for the Young Carer Grant download, and return, a paper application form, apply for the Young Carer Grant online or call Social Security Scotland.

Social Security Scotland: 0800 182 2222 Mon – Fri, 8am – 6pm

Download an application form or apply online.

See more information.