Who is eligible for a carer’s allowance?

You don’t have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.

You must be:

  • 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for them
  • Not be in full time education or studying for 21 hours a week or more
  • Earn no more than a specified amount a week (after taxes, care costs while you’re at work and 50% of what you pay into your pension).
Carer's Card
The Caring Together carer’s card is a good way for you to be identified a carer, whether this is when you are at the shops, GP surgery, pharmacist or other places.
Register for your carer's card

How much is carer’s allowance?

The current amount is £69.70. Carer’s allowance is taxable. It can also affect your other benefits and/or you may also be able to claim other benefits. You cannot normally get two income-replacement benefits (e.g. carer’s allowance and the state pension) paid together.

Usually, for each week you get a carer’s allowance or the underlying entitlement you also get national insurance credits and contributions to your additional state pension. You should still apply for a carer’s allowance even if you get these as your benefits might be increased.

At this time we are receiving a high number of queries about contact details for both Carers Allowance and Attendance Allowance. Below are where you can go to get direct information about either of these. And remember we are here to help with specialist advice for carers.

Call 345 241 0954 during office hours Monday to Friday or email [email protected]

Carer’s Allowance
Helpline: 0800 731 0297
Textphone: 0800 731 0317
Relay UK – If you can not hear or speak on the telephone: 18001 then 0800 731 0297

What else can be done?

Research by Carers UK showed well over a third (36%) of carers receiving Carer’s Allowance – just £67.25 a week for 35 hours or more of care – were struggling to make ends meet, with 15% having been in debt because of caring.

Earlier research with the Universities of Sheffield and Birmingham found more than 100,000 unpaid carers in the UK had to rely on food banks during the pandemic.

81% of carers were spending more money during the coronavirus outbreak – as they faced rising costs including higher domestic bills, paying for additional care and support services, buying equipment to adapt homes, and purchasing technology to help with caring.

It was announced by the government in November 2022 that carer’s allowance will increase by 10.1 percent from April 2023, with weekly payments to increase to £76.74, which is just over £300 a month.