A weekly payment if you care for someone for at least 35 hours a week and they get a qualifying disability benefit.
Many people who are entitled to support never claim it. Check who qualifies, how much you could get and how to make your claim through the official channel.
The rules depend on where you live in the UK and on your household’s circumstances.
What Carer's Allowance offers
- Paid weekly: A regular payment of £86.45 a week if eligible.
- National Insurance credits: You automatically get National Insurance credits while you claim.
- Carer premium: It can add a carer element to Universal Credit or Pension Credit.
- Work part-time: You can work as long as your earnings stay within the limit.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who can get it | Carers aged 16 or over looking after someone at least 35 hours a week who gets a qualifying benefit such as PIP or Attendance Allowance |
| How much | £86.45 a week (2026/27) |
| Earnings limit | You can earn up to £204 a week after deductions (2026/27) |
| How it's paid | Weekly in advance or every 4 weeks in arrears |
| How to claim | Online at GOV.UK or by post |
| Where | England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Carer Support Payment in Scotland) |
Key points
Paid weekly: A regular payment of £86.45 a week if eligible.
National Insurance credits: You automatically get National Insurance credits while you claim.
Carer premium: It can add a carer element to Universal Credit or Pension Credit.
About Department for Work and Pensions
Carer's Allowance is run by Department for Work and Pensions. Claims are made free of charge through the official government channel.
We explain the rules independently and then send you to the official page to claim. We are not a government website.
Amounts and rules can change. The decision on your claim is made by Department for Work and Pensions.