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Caring for someone
Carer's Allowance - changes in circumstances for you or the person you are caring for
It's important to report any changes in circumstances for yourself, the person you are caring for or a dependent adult. This can affect whether you can receive Carer's Allowance or the amount you might get.
For example, you need to report:
- changes to income or employment for you or a dependent adult
- changes to, or new benefits for you, the person you are caring for or a dependent adult
- if you or a dependent adult go into full-time education (21 hours or more a week of supervised study)
- change of address for you, a dependent adult or the person you're caring for
- breaks in caring - such as holidays or a stay in hospital
You also need to report a temporary or permanent move abroad.
If you are leaving the UK to live in another EEA country or Switzerland, you may continue to receive Carer's Allowance if you meet certain conditions.
Temporary breaks in caring
You can still receive Carer's Allowance if you take a temporary break from caring, as follows:
- if you receive treatment as an inpatient in a hospital or similar institution, your Carer's Allowance can be paid for up to 12 weeks in any 26 week period, depending on whether you have also had breaks from caring for other reasons
- if the person you care for receives treatment as an inpatient in a hospital or similar institution, your Carer's Allowance can be paid for up to 12 weeks in any 26 week period. However, your Carer's Allowance will stop if the person's Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance stops. For adults, this is normally after they have been in hospital for four weeks.
- if you go on holiday, or the person you care for has a holiday or a stay in a care home, your Carer's Allowance may be paid for up to 4 weeks in any 26 week period
The maximum break you can take without your Carer's Allowance being affected is 12 weeks in any 26 week period. You can get further advice about the rules from the Carer's Allowance Unit. Details can be found on the 'How to claim' page.
Reporting changes in circumstances
You can report changes directly to the Carer's Allowance Unit - details can be found in the 'How to claim' page. You can also report changes online using the Carer's Allowance e-service. The online form lists the sorts of changes you need to report.
To report online, go to the Carer's Allowance e-service and choose 'Tell us about a change of circumstance'. Before using the service you'll be asked to check that you have the right software and shown what to do if you haven't. You'll then be able to complete a simple electronic form to report a change of circumstance.
Additional links
Disability and Carers Service leaflet
Download an information leaflet about the Disability and Carers Service in PDF format
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