Carer's Allowance

Paid to full-time informal carers

You may also be able to get Carer's Allowance if the person you care for is getting Constant Attendance Allowance at the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Disablement Benefit or basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension.

You cannot get Carer's Allowance if you are in full-time education. (By full-time education we mean 21 hours or more a week study at school, college, university or similar educational establishment. This includes any work which the establishment say has to be done as part of the course. It makes no difference if you do the work at home or at the educational establishment, the time counts towards the 21 hours).

You cannot get Carer's Allowance if you earn more than £95 per week after taking off all deductions and allowable expenses.

Up to 50% of the cost of providing another carer for the disabled person or your children may be counted as expenses against earnings, always check with the Disability and Carers Service.

You may be able to get extra money added to Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance (Income based), Housing Benefit Rent or Rates or Pension Credit.

Other benefits you or your partner receive may increase or decrease if you are awarded Carer's Allowance benefit.

If the person you care for receives other Social Security benefits the amount they receive may be affected if you are awarded Carer's Allowance.

When to claim

Claim straight away. If you delay you may lose benefit.

A claim to Carer's Allowance for customers not in receipt of State Pension can be made on form DS700 and on form DS700(SP) for customers in receipt of State Pension from a date up to 3 months prior to the date on which we receive the completed signed form. However to protect the date from which you want to claim from you should request the claim form in writing. We will then be able to accept your date of claim, from up to 3 months prior to the date your letter was received by the Disability and Carers Service in Castle Court or your local Jobs & Benefits / Social Security Office or Pension Centre.

Claim Form

To get a Carer's Allowance claim form contact your local Jobs & Benefits/Social Security Office. For your nearest Jobs & Benefits/ Social Security Office look for the Social Security Agency display advert in the business numbers section of The Phone Book, or you can write to or phone the Disability and Carers Service in Castle Court.

Filling in the form

Before you fill in your form read through the notes supplied within the claim pack. Check that you are claiming for everything you are entitled to before returning the claim form.

Proof of identity

It is important that we can be sure of your identity when you make a claim. We may need to ask you about your background and look at any official documents you have to support the information you give. This could be your original birth certificate, passport or other documents. You may need to provide more than one document.

If you are not sure about this, get leaflet GL25 "How to prove your identity" from your Jobs & Benefits/Social Security Office.