What is Carer’s Allowance?
Carer’s Allowance is a social security Benefit to help people who look after someone who gets
· Attendance Allowance or
· Constant Attendance Allowance at not less than the full day rate (constant Attendance Allowance is paid as addition to some other benefits or entitlements) or
Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate of the care component. The person you are looking after will have a letter telling them what type and what rate of these benefits or entitlements they are getting.
Carer’s Allowance is paid to the person who does the caring not the person being cared for.
Carer’s Allowance counts as a taxable income.
Consist of a:
· Low rate
· Middle rate
· High rate
Payment of carer’s allowance does not depend on the level of your savings or on whether you have paid any National Insurance Contributions.
The person you are looking after may be getting extra money because they are severely disabled and are being paid any of the following benefits or entitlements:
· Employee Support Allowance
· Income Support
· Pension Credit
· Housing Benefit
· Council Tax Benefit
This extra money may include, for example, the severe disability premium.
If you start getting Carer’s Allowance for looking after them, their benefit or entitlement may go down. Severe Disability Premium cannot be paid when Carer’s Allowance is also paid.
WHO CANNOT GET CARER’S ALLOWANCE
You cannot get Carer’s Allowance if
· You earn more than £93 a week after you have taken off the money we allow for expenses.
· You are on a course of full time education
EXPENSES ALLOWED
The expenses allowed are for things like
· Some National Insurance Contributions
· Income tax
· Half of the money you pay towards personal and occupational pension schemes
· Other expenses you have to pay because they are a necessary part of your job
· The cost of paying someone (but not a close relative) to look after a child, or the person you look after, while you are at work. They allow up to a maximum of half the money you earn after deducting these expenses.
HOW TO CLAIM
If you look after someone who is getting or waiting to hear about their claim for
Attendance Allowance or
Constant Attendance Allowance
Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate of the care component
If you have any problems filling in the form Telephone Free phone 0800 88 22 00 for help and advice.
Carer’s Allowance
Pallatine House
Lancaster Road
Preston
PR1 1HB
Tel: 01253 856123