Am I entitled to Carer's Allowance?
Carer's Allowance is a benefit for people who regularly spend 35 hours or more a week caring for a disabled person. This benefit is paid to the carer and not the person with MS.
Carer’s Allowance is not means tested and does not depend on past National Insurance contributions. Your carer can get Carer’s Allowance even if they’ve never worked. However, Carer’s Allowance is taxable.
Your carer is allowed to have a break in caring of up to 4 weeks (or 12 weeks if either you or your carer go into hospital) within any 26-week period without Carer’s Allowance being affected.
Only one person can receive Carer’s Allowance for looking after you.
Your carer is allowed to have a break in caring of up to 4 weeks (or 12 weeks if either you or your carer go into hospital) within any 26-week period without Carer’s Allowance being affected.
Only one person can receive Carer’s Allowance for looking after you.
Who is eligible?
There are specific criteria for Carer’s Allowance to be awarded:- You (the person with MS) must receive Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or the highest rate or Attendance Allowance at either rate.
- Your carer must spend at least 35 hours per week caring for you, but does not have to live in the same house or be related to you.
- Your carer must be aged 16 or over.
- Your carer must not be in full-time education, (ie 21 hours or more a week).
- If your carer is working, they must not earn more than £95 a week (after taking off tax, National Insurance contributions and half of any contribution they make towards an occupational or personal pension).
- Your carer must be both resident and present in Great Britain (and has been present for at least 26 out of the last 52 weeks).
How much is awarded?
| Carer’s Allowance | per week |
| For the carer | £50.55 |
| For an adult dependant | £30.20 |
Your carer can get the adult dependants’ addition for their wife, husband or civil partner. For your carer to get the addition for any other adult who lives with them, that adult must look after your carer’s child. The dependant must not earn more than £30.20 per week, or receive certain other benefits.
| Extra for dependent children | per week |
| For the oldest child | £8.75 |
| For each other child | £11.35 |
Additions for children are only available on claims made before 6 April 2003 and are subject to restrictions dependant on your carer’s partner’s earnings. If your carer is making a fresh claim for Carer's Allowance and wants financial help for a dependant child, they should claim Child Tax Credit.
How does it work with other benefits?
Your carer cannot receive Carer’s Allowance if they are receiving the same amount or more from: State Pension; Maternity Allowance; Incapacity Benefit; Unemployability Supplement; contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance; Widows’ or Bereavements Benefits; a State Training Allowance; or (from October 2008) the contributory allowance of Employment and Support Allowance. However, if your carer meets the criteria for Carer’s Allowance and is receiving less than the basic rate of Carer’s Allowance from one of the benefits listed above, that benefit is paid and topped up with Carer’s Allowance to the amount they would get from Carer’s Allowance alone.If your carer receives Carer’s Allowance, a Carer Premium of £27.75 a week can be included in any Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Pension Credit or (from October 2008) income-related allowance of Employment and Support Allowance they may be receiving. Your carer may also receive the Carer Premium if they have claimed Carer’s Allowance and are entitled to it, but does not actually receive it because it overlaps with State Pension or another benefit they receive.
It is worth noting that if your carer gets paid Carer’s Allowance, a Severe Disability Premium cannot be included in any Income Support, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit or Pension Credit or (from October 2008) Employment and Support Allowance that you may be receiving. Since the Severe Disability Premium is worth £50.35 a week, it is not always advantageous for your carer to claim Carer’s Allowance, even if they are eligible.
