Carer's Allowance is the main weekly benefit for people who spend a large part of their week looking after someone who is ill, disabled or elderly. In 2026/27 it pays £86.45 a week, but the rules catch many people out — so here is how it works, who qualifies and how to claim.

How much is Carer's Allowance?

Carer's Allowance is £86.45 a week in 2026/27. You can choose to be paid weekly in advance or every four weeks. It is taxable income, although it is not means-tested on your savings, and your partner's income does not affect it. Claims can be backdated by up to three months.

Who can claim?

There are three main conditions. You must be aged 16 or over, you must spend at least 35 hours a week caring for one person — from help with washing and dressing to cooking, shopping and getting to appointments — and you must not be in full-time education or studying for 21 hours a week or more.

You must also have been in England, Scotland or Wales for at least two of the last three years, and not be subject to immigration control.

The second side of the claim is the one that catches people out: the person you care for must already be getting a qualifying disability benefit. That includes Attendance Allowance, the daily living part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate for care, or Armed Forces Independence Payment. If they have not claimed anything yet, sorting out their benefit usually has to come first.

The £204 earnings limit

You can work and claim Carer's Allowance, but your earnings must be £204 a week or less in 2026/27, after tax, National Insurance and certain work-related expenses. Go even £1 over the limit and you lose the whole payment for that week — there is no taper. The government announced plans in October 2026 to introduce a taper system and end this cliff-edge approach, so that someone would lose £1 of benefit for every £1 earned over the threshold.

Only one person can claim Carer's Allowance for caring for a particular individual, even if several people share the caring.

How Carer's Allowance affects other benefits

Carer's Allowance can affect other benefits. You cannot usually be paid it alongside State Pension or income-replacement benefits such as contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance, because of the overlapping benefits rule — although you may keep an underlying entitlement, which can add a carer amount to means-tested benefits such as Pension Credit.

Claiming can also affect the person you care for: if they get the severe disability premium, or the severe disability addition in Pension Credit, your claim will usually stop that extra amount being paid to them. That addition is worth £86.05 a week in 2026/27, so it is worth checking the household effect before claiming.

In Scotland, the equivalent benefit is Carer Support Payment, paid by Social Security Scotland, rather than Carer's Allowance.

How to apply

You can apply online through GOV.UK, by phone on 0800 731 0297, or by post using form DS700 — or form DS700(SP) if you are getting a State Pension. You will need details of the person you care for, including their National Insurance number and which disability benefit they receive, plus your own employment and earnings details.

If your claim is refused, or your circumstances change, report it through the Carer's Allowance service on GOV.UK. Carers UK and MoneyHelper both publish detailed guides to the rules, and Citizens Advice can help with a claim.