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Carers Credit is a National Insurance Credit for working age people who are looking after one or more disabled people for a total of 20 hours or more each week. This credit is not a cash benefit. It is a credit that will help carers to protect their future State Pension entitlement when they are not working or when their earnings are low. To be eligible for the Carers Credit, the person or people being cared for must either, be receiving an appropriate disability benefit or a certificate must be supplied which has been certified by a Health or Social Care professional and confirms the level of care that is provided is required.
Carers Credit cannot be awarded to a carer under the age of 16 years of age, or for any periods after they reach State Pension age. Carers Credit will not affect any benefits that are received by the carer, or the person being cared for. Anyone already in receipt of Carers Allowance or Income Support on the basis that they are substantially engaged in caring, does not need to apply for Carers Credit as they will be given credits automatically. If you do need to make an application, forms can be downloaded here.
For more information contact the Carers Allowance Unit on 0800 731 0297, textphone 0800 731 0317 or visit www.gov.uk
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this document was correct at the time of going to press, DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
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Carer's Allowance (CA) is a benefit for people who regularly spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a severely disabled person. You don't have to be related to, or live with, the disabled person. You are not prevented from getting CA if you are disabled yourself and require care, but you must be caring for another person who gets Attendance Allowance (AA), the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component at the middle or highest rate.
If you are paid CA, a carer premium will be included in your applicable amount for means-tested benefits. If you have claimed CA and would have been paid it but for the fact that it overlaps with state pension or another benefit, you also get the carer premium. An equivalent addition to the carer premium is included in the calculation of pension credit. If you are paid CA, the person you are caring for cannot get the severe disability premium included in their applicable amount for means-tested benefits.
CA is not means tested and does not depend on past National Insurance (NI) contributions, but it is taxable. CA gives you Class 1 NI contribution credits and helps you qualify for additional state pension.
DO YOU QUALIFY?
You must regularly spend at least 35 hours a week (see below) caring for a person who receives either:
- Daily living component of the Personal Independence Payment
- DLA care component (at the middle or highest rate only); or
- AA at either rate; or
- Constant attendance allowance (at or above the normal maximum rate) paid with the Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes.
You must be aged 16 or over.
You must pass the UK residence and presence tests, and must not be subject to immigration control.
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 (21 hours a week). If you work, you must not earn more than £123 a week once allowable expenses are deducted.
CA can continue for up to 8 weeks after the person you look after dies. You must continue to satisfy all the rules other than those related to the care of a disabled person or that person's receipt of a qualifying benefit.
You can only get one award of CA, even if you care for more than one person.
If you are caring for more than one person, you can't add together the time you spend caring for each of them. You have to show that for at least 35 hours each week you are caring for one person. If you meet the 35-hours test during part of the year (e.g. in school holidays) you may qualify for CA during that period.
CARERS ALLOWANCE PER WEEK
For yourself £66.15
For an adult dependant £38.90*
*available on claims made before 06.04.10 only
HOW DO YOU CLAIM?
You claim on form DS700 (DS700 SP if you get a State Pension). The forms are available from your local Jobcentre Plus office or you can contact the Carer's Allowance Unit on 0800 731 0297. You can also visit www.gov.uk/carers-allowance for further information and to make a claim online.
Backdating - If you were entitled to CA prior to claiming it, CA will be backdated for up to 3 months.
HOW DO EARNINGS AFFECT CA?
You cannot get CA if your net earnings are more than £110 a week (i.e. after taking off tax, National Insurance (NI) contributions, half of any contribution you make towards an occupational or personal pension.
HOW DO OTHER BENEFITS AFFECT CA?
If you are entitled to CA you can also get the Carer Premium (or Carer's Addition if you are on Pension Credit) when claiming Income Support, Income Related ESA, Income Related JSA, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit. If you receive another benefit e.g. State Pension or Contributory ESA, which prevents you from actually being paid CA you can still get the Carer Premium/Addition. If you are paid CA it may stop the person you care for from getting the Severe Disability Premium as part of their Income Support, Income Related ESA, Income Related JSA, HB, Pension Credit or Council Tax Reduction. If you are paid CA because you are on another benefit you can get the Carer Premium/ Addition and the person you care for will keep their Severe Disability Premium.
You can get CA at the same time as Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Attendance Allowance (AA).
If you get Universal Credit, it may affect how much you get from other benefits.
Any means-tested benefits you claim will be reduced by the same amount you get from Carer's Allowance including:
- Housing Benefit
- Income Support
- Income-based JSA
- Pension Credit
- Universal Credit
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this document was correct at the time of going to press, DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
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WHAT IS ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE?
Attendance allowance (AA) is a tax-free benefit for people aged 65 and over who need help to look after themselves. You do not actually have to be getting any help. It is the help you need that is relevant, not what you get. You can get AA even if you live alone, you do not need to have a carer. It is not means tested.
The two rates for 2019/20 are as follows:
Lower Rate: £58.70
Higher Rate: £87.65
DO YOU QUALIFY?
You must usually meet the following conditions:
- You are aged 65 or over;
- You pass the residence and presence test; and are not subject to immigration control.
- You satisfy one of the disability tests and have done so for the last 6 months, or
- You are terminally ill.
If you have not yet reached your 65th birthday you should claim Personal Independence Payment instead.
THE DISABILITY TEST
To qualify for the lower rate of Attendance Allowance you must satisfy one of the following conditions:
- need frequent attention throughout the day in connection with your bodily functions. Bodily functions includes eating, washing, communicating, walking indoors, drinking, sleeping, dressing, toileting, reading, hearing etc.
- need continual supervision throughout the day to avoid substantial danger to you or others.
- need prolonged or repeated attention at night in connection with your bodily functions
- need another person to be awake at night for a prolonged period or at frequent intervals to watch over you in order to avoid substantial danger to yourself or others
To qualify for the highest rate of Attendance Allowance you must satisfy one of the following conditions:
- You have at least one of the day time needs and one of the night time needs shown in the lower rate conditions.
- You are terminally ill. This means that you are suffering from a progressive disease where death can be expected within 6 months.
PERSONAL INDEPENDENCE PAYMENT OR ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE?
You cannot claim Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for the first time after you reach your 65th birthday.
Once you are 65, you must claim Attendance Allowance instead.
If you already get the mobility component of PIP, however, you can claim PIP daily living component (at the standard or enhanced rate) rather than AA.
HOW DO I MAKE A CLAIM?
To make a claim for Attendance Allowance you should call 0800 731 0122. Alternatively you can download an application pack here.
DIAL Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given in this document was correct at the time of going to press, DIAL Doncaster cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.
