Carer’s Allowance and carer’s assessments: what family carers can claim

Carer’s Allowance is a benefit for people who care for someone at least 35 hours a week, if the person they care for gets certain benefits. A carer’s assessment is separate: it is free, anyone over 18 who looks after someone regularly can ask for one, and it looks at the carer’s own needs.

For England. Last checked 13 November 2026. Next check by 13 February 2027. General information, not financial, legal or medical advice.

GOV.UK says Carer’s Allowance can be paid to someone who looks after another person for at least 35 hours a week, as long as the person they care for gets certain benefits. You do not have to be related to them or live with them. There is no extra payment for caring for more than one person, and if two people share the care, only one of them can claim.

To get it, all of these must apply:

• you are aged 16 or over
• you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for the person
• you have been in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this does not apply to refugees or people with humanitarian protection)
• you normally live in England or Wales (Scotland has its own benefit)
• you are not in full-time education and not studying for 21 hours a week or more
• you are not subject to immigration control
• your earnings, after tax, National Insurance and certain expenses, are below the weekly limit shown on GOV.UK

GOV.UK lists examples of care that count, such as washing and cooking, taking the person to a doctor, and household tasks such as shopping or managing bills. It also says Carer’s Allowance can affect other benefits, and that it is taxable if your income is above the Personal Allowance. National Insurance credits are added automatically for each week it is paid.

Carer’s Allowance and the State Pension overlap: you cannot get the full amount of both, and if your State Pension is at or above the Carer’s Allowance rate, you will not be paid Carer’s Allowance. We do not quote amounts, because they change every year: check GOV.UK.

The person you care for must already receive one of these benefits (GOV.UK):

• Personal Independence Payment (PIP), daily living part
• Disability Living Allowance, middle or highest care rate
• Attendance Allowance (see our guide to Attendance Allowance for a parent)
• Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland)
• Adult Disability Payment, daily living part (Scotland)
• Child Disability Payment, middle or highest care rate (Scotland)

You cannot claim if another carer already claims Carer’s Allowance, Carer Support Payment, or the Universal Credit carer element for the same person.

You can apply online, by post, or by phone for a form. You will need your National Insurance number, your bank details, and details of the person you care for, including their date of birth and address, and their National Insurance number if they are 16 or over. GOV.UK says claims can be backdated by up to 3 months.

If you disagree with a decision, you can ask for a mandatory reconsideration. If you are unhappy with the service, you can complain to the Department for Work and Pensions.

If you do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance, GOV.UK says you may be eligible for Carer’s Credit. The NHS describes it as being for people who look after someone for at least 20 hours a week and do not get Carer’s Allowance. The NHS also mentions the Carer Premium, an extra amount on top of some benefits, such as Income Support or Housing Benefit. The details are on the NHS and GOV.UK pages below.

A carer’s assessment is free, and the NHS says anyone over 18 who looks after someone regularly can ask for one. Carers UK adds that it does not matter how much or what sort of care you provide. A carer is someone looking after a family member or friend who is ill, older or disabled.

It is separate from the assessment of the person you care for, although both can be done at the same time. You contact adult social services at your local council, by phone or online. It is usually face to face, although some councils offer a phone or online assessment, and the NHS and Carers UK both say it usually lasts at least an hour.

The council then tells you the result. If you qualify for help, a care and support plan is written with you, and the council might help with costs after a financial assessment. If you do not qualify, the council should still give you free advice about other help. In Gloucestershire, the council’s adult social care pages point carers to the Gloucestershire Carers Hub to ask for a carer’s assessment: see the link below. Carers UK notes that waiting lists can exist.

You have a right to complain to the council if you disagree with the result, and then to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Respite means the person you care for is looked after by someone else while you take a break. The NHS lists day care centres, homecare from a paid carer, short stays in a care home, help from friends and family, respite holidays and sitting services. It says local councils will only fund respite care for people they have assessed as needing it, and that a carer’s assessment comes first. You can also arrange your own care through a personal budget or direct payment.

If you would like to talk about visits at home so you can take a break, call us on 01242 371048, day or night. A free assessment is usually within 48 hours, with no obligation. Start with a couple of visits a week, and build up only if you want to.

In Scotland, you apply for Carer Support Payment instead of Carer’s Allowance, and if you move from England or Wales to Scotland your Carer’s Allowance stops 13 weeks after the move. Carers UK says Scotland calls the assessment an adult carer support plan, Wales often calls it a carer’s needs assessment, and in Northern Ireland carers contact their Health and Social Care Trust.

It does not say how long Carer’s Allowance claims or carer’s assessments take, because the official pages do not give a timescale. It does not say whether hours of paid care count towards the 35 hours, or how Carer’s Allowance is affected when the person you care for pays a private provider: ask the Carer’s Allowance helpline or Carers UK. The NHS carer’s assessment page was last reviewed in 2022, so ask your council how it currently runs the assessment.

• GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance (read 13 November 2026)
• GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance eligibility (read 13 November 2026)
• GOV.UK: How to claim Carer’s Allowance (read 13 November 2026)
• NHS: Carer’s assessments (read 13 November 2026)
• NHS: Carer’s breaks and respite care (read 13 November 2026)
• NHS: Benefits for carers (read 13 November 2026)
• Carers UK: Carer’s assessment (read 13 November 2026)
• Gloucestershire Carers Hub: Refer a carer (read 13 November 2026)

This guide is general information for England, written by the Cott’s Care team. Cott’s Care Limited (registered with the CQC as Cott’s Care Solutions) is a family-run home care provider in Cheltenham with over 20 years of experience.

Every public fact comes from the official pages listed above, which we read on 13 November 2026. We do not quote benefit amounts, fees or thresholds, because they change: the sources give the current figures. We will check this guide again by 13 February 2027, and sooner if the rules change.

It is not financial, legal or medical advice, and we cannot say whether any person will qualify for a benefit or service. If you spot something that looks out of date, please tell us on 01242 371048.

Cite this guide: Cott’s Care Limited (13 November 2026). Carer’s Allowance and carer’s assessments: what family carers can claim. https://cottscareltd.co.uk/guides/carers-allowance-and-carers-assessment/

• Attendance Allowance for a parent
• Coming home from hospital: reablement and discharge
• How to arrange home care for a parent in England