If you’re searching What benefits can you claim if you are a carer, you’re probably doing two jobs at once: caring and trying to keep finances steady. The UK system does offer support, but it’s spread across different benefits, elements, credits, and council help, so it’s easy to miss things.

If you’re wondering what benefits can you claim if you are a carer, start with three checks:

1. Do you provide 35+ hours of care a week?
2. Does the person you care for get a qualifying disability benefit?
3. Are your earnings within the Carer’s Allowance limit?

Many carers may also get the Universal Credit Carer Element or Carer’s Credit (NI credits).

What is a carer?

A carer is someone who provides unpaid help to a family member, friend, or neighbour who needs support because of illness, disability, mental health needs, or age-related frailty. You don’t have to be related to them or live with them; what matters is that you regularly help them manage daily life.

What benefits can you claim if you are a carer in the UK?

If you’re caring for someone regularly, the support you can claim in the UK usually falls into three buckets:

1. Money you can be paid as a carer – This is where Carer’s Allowance (or Carer Support Payment in Scotland) and the Universal Credit Carer Element come in. These are designed to recognise the time you spend caring, especially if caring limits how much you can work.
2. Support that protects your future finances – Even if you don’t qualify for a weekly payment, you may still be able to get help like Carer’s Credit, which protects your National Insurance record and can help safeguard your State Pension later.
3. Extra help through other benefits and local services – Depending on your income, age, and the benefits you already claim, you might be able to get additions/premiums, Pension Credit carer support, help with Council Tax, and practical support through a Carer’s Assessment from your local authority.

The key is that entitlement often depends on two things: Whether the person you care for receives a qualifying disability benefit, and whether you provide enough care hours (commonly 35+ hours/week for the main carer payments).

Let’s explore the options step by step so you can quickly spot what applies to you, and avoid missing support you’re entitled to.

Do you count as a carer, even if you don’t call yourself one?

What unpaid carer mean in real life?

You usually count as a carer if you regularly help someone who couldn’t manage day-to-day without support, because of disability, illness, frailty, or mental health needs.

The 2 checks that unlock most carer benefits

Most carer-related support depends on:

• How many hours of care do you provide (often 35+ hours/week for the main carer payment)?
• Whether the person you care for receives a qualifying disability benefit (this is the “gateway” for many claims)?

Quick eligibility snapshot (so you don’t waste time applying)

What can count as care hours?

For the main carer payment, the care requirement is usually 35 hours/week. Those hours can include practical help (meals, meds, appointments), emotional support, supervision, prompting, paperwork, and managing daily routines.

Common reasons carers get knocked back

You’re more likely to hit a snag if:

• Your earnings go above the weekly limit for Carer’s Allowance (it’s a strict rule).
• You’re in full-time education.
• Your residency/immigration status doesn’t meet the rules for that benefit.
• Someone else is already receiving the main carer payment for caring for the same person.

Carer’s Allowance or Scotland’s Carer Support Payment – the main weekly carer benefit

What it is?

Carer’s Allowance is the main weekly payment for unpaid carers who meet the rules (Scotland has moved to Carer Support Payment, which is the Scottish replacement).

Who it’s for?

You’ll usually be looking at Carer’s Allowance/Carer Support Payment if:

• You care for someone 35+ hours/week.
• They receive a qualifying disability benefit.
• You meet the earnings and other eligibility rules.

Do you have to live with or be related to the person?

No. You don’t need to be related, and you don’t necessarily need to live together.

Can you work and still claim Carer’s Allowance?

The earnings limit (the big one carers need to plan around)

Carer’s Allowance has a strict weekly earnings limit. If your earnings go over it in a given week, you can lose entitlement for that week, and if it’s not picked up quickly, it can create overpayments you’re later asked to repay.

Here’s what you can do next: Treat your earnings like a “weekly budget” and keep a simple record of pay dates, deductions, and any weeks that might exceed the limit.

Why carers get caught out?

Common gotchas include:

• Overtime or an extra shift pushing you just over.
• Pay schedules changing (monthly to 4-weekly, or vice versa).
• Self-employed income fluctuating.
• Not realising what does/doesn’t count as allowable deductions.

Universal Credit for carers (the Carer Element)

What the UC Carer Element is?

If you’re on Universal Credit and you provide 35+ hours/week of care for someone on a qualifying disability benefit, you may be able to have the Carer Element included in your Universal Credit calculation.

Can you get Universal Credit and Carer’s Allowance at the same time?

You can claim both, but Carer’s Allowance is normally treated as income for Universal Credit, which can reduce your UC.

So the real question is: does claiming Carer’s Allowance improve your overall position, or does the UC Carer Element cover you better? A benefits calculator (or adviser) can help you compare outcomes.

A crucial warning (often missed)

In some situations, a carer claim can affect the disabled person’s means-tested benefits (for example, where certain premiums are involved). This is one of the biggest reasons to check the household impact before you finalise a claim.

Carer’s Credit and National Insurance credits (protecting your future pension)

What Carer’s Credit is?

Carer’s Credit is not a cash payment, it’s a National Insurance credit that helps protect your NI record (and therefore your State Pension) if caring reduces your ability to work.

Who is it most useful for?

Carer’s Credit is a strong option if you:

• Care for someone, but don’t meet the 35-hour rule.
• Can’t claim Carer’s Allowance because of earnings or education rules.
• Have dropped hours at work and want to protect your pension record.

Let’s explore a practical example: if you’re caring around 20–34 hours/week and juggling a part-time job, Carer’s Credit can be the difference between building a full NI year and having a gap.

Understanding your rights as a carer is not just about present-day support; it can also have long-term implications for your future retirement income.

For carers who may not be able to work full-time due to their responsibilities, protecting your National Insurance record through options like Carer’s Credit becomes especially important.

This is closely linked to when you can access your State Pension, which is gradually changing. Staying informed about the UK State Pension Age Retirement Changes is vital, particularly if you’re approaching retirement while providing care.

Extra money on other benefits

Pension Credit carer addition

If you’re over State Pension age and on Pension Credit, you may be entitled to an extra amount for caring. This is especially important if you can’t be paid Carer’s Allowance because of overlapping benefits (you might still gain through “underlying entitlement” in some cases).

Legacy benefits: carer premium basics

If you’re on certain legacy benefits (rather than Universal Credit), you may be able to get a carer premium or similar extra amount added when you have carer entitlement. This area can be fiddly, it’s often worth checking with an adviser if you’re unsure what system you’re on.

Council Tax and local help

Council Tax help varies by council, but carers sometimes qualify for:

• Council Tax Reduction (means-tested)
• Discounts/exemptions in certain household situations

Help with housing costs and bills (often missed)

Support with rent

If you claim Universal Credit, housing costs may be supported through the UC housing element (subject to your circumstances). If you’re on legacy Housing Benefit, entitlement depends on your situation and local rules.

Help with bills and cost of living support

This isn’t always labelled “carer support”, but carers often qualify for local schemes because income drops when caring increases. Checking your council’s support pages can uncover practical help.

Local council support that isn’t a benefit, but can still make a big difference

Carer’s Assessment

A Carer’s Assessment looks at how caring affects your life and what support could help you continue caring safely. Outcomes vary, but it can lead to:

• Respite/breaks
• Equipment or practical support
• Training, counselling, and local services
• Help navigating benefits and local funding

How to check what you can claim (fast and safely)?

The quickest reliable approach

Use this order:

1. Confirm the cared-for person’s qualifying disability benefit.
2. Identify whether you’re best suited to Carer’s Allowance/Carer Support Payment, UC Carer Element, Carer’s Credit, Pension Credit additions, or a mix.
3. Run a benefits calculation (or speak to a welfare adviser) to check the net effect on the household.
4. Apply and report changes quickly to avoid overpayments.

Step-by-step: A clean claim plan that avoids common mistakes

Your claim order checklist

Use this as your 10-minute action plan:

• Confirm the cared-for person’s qualifying disability benefit details
• Estimate your care hours honestly (especially if you’re near 35)
• Check your work pay pattern (weekly/4-weekly/monthly, overtime risk)
• Compare UC-with-carer-element vs Carer’s Allowance outcomes (household impact matters)
• If you can’t get Carer’s Allowance, check Carer’s Credit for NI protection
• Request a Carer’s Assessment through your local authority if caring affects your health, work, or safety

Key UK carer support at a glance

Which route fits me? quick scenarios

How people react to this online?

Applying for carers allowance
byu/Time_Honeydew_7560 inBenefitsAdviceUK

Final summary

You can claim more than you might think, but the right starting point depends on your care hours, your income, and whether the person you care for receives a qualifying disability benefit.

If you only take one thing away, what benefits can you claim if you are a carer is best answered by checking

1. Whether you meet the 35-hour rule.
2. Whether Universal Credit (with the Carer Element) or Carer’s Allowance gives you the best overall result for your household, then using Carer’s Credit to protect your NI record if you can’t get the main payment.

FAQs

What benefits can carers claim in the UK?

Common carer support includes Carer’s Allowance (or Carer Support Payment in Scotland), Universal Credit Carer Element, Carer’s Credit (NI credits), Pension Credit additions, legacy benefit premiums, and local council support such as a Carer’s Assessment.

How many hours do you need to claim Carer’s Allowance?

Typically 35 hours per week.

Can I claim Carer’s Allowance if I’m on a State Pension?

In many cases, you can claim, but you may not be paid for it if another benefit overlaps. Even then, the claim can sometimes help unlock other additions depending on your situation.

Can two carers claim for the same person?

Usually, only one person can receive the main carer payment for caring for the same person.

Author expertise note

This article is written using a benefits-checklist approach I’ve used for years when translating complex entitlement rules into what to do next steps, with a strong focus on avoiding preventable overpayments and missed entitlements.