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Who can get Carer's Allowance

You need to be caring for somebody who is getting one of the following benefits:

If someone else is also looking after the same person, only one of you can get Carer's Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance can only be paid for caring for one person.

Carer's Allowance can be claimed by more than one person in a household, such as a couple caring for each other.

Carer's Allowance is not affected by any savings you may have.

If you have come from, or live, abroad

To be eligible, the following must apply:

Certain people can be treated as being present in the UK. For example, if you are a member of the Armed Forces, or living with a member of the Armed Forces, and you are based abroad, you are regarded as living in the UK.

If you leave the UK to live elsewhere in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, your Carer's Allowance may continue to be paid to you under certain conditions.

Under certain conditions you may also be able to make a claim for Carer's Allowance if you already live in another EEA country or Switzerland.

• Taking disability benefits to another European country (disabled people section)

• Claiming disability benefits if you live in another European country (disabled people section)

Who cannot get Carer's Allowance

Education

You cannot get Carer's Allowance if you are on a course of full-time education, or you are on holiday from full-time education.

Full-time education means a course which is described as full-time by the educational establishment providing it. If the educational establishment describes the course as part-time, but attendance is required for 21 hours or more each week, it will be treated as full-time.

Work and earnings

You cannot get Carer's Allowance if you earn more than £100 a week after money has been taken off to allow for your expenses.

Expenses that are allowed are for things like:

After allowing for these things, you are allowed up to half the rest of the money you earn to help meet the cost of paying someone else (but not a close relative) to look after a child or children, or the person you look after, while you are at work. 

Please note, when looking at your income, Carers Allowance do not count Occupational or Private Pensions as earnings.

Residing or remaining in the UK

You cannot get Carer's Allowance if your right to reside or remain in the United Kingdom is subject to limitation or restriction by the Home Office.

Useful contacts

• Organisations and charities for carers