Carer’s Allowance

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.