Unpaid carers have access to several benefits in the UK — from Carer’s Allowance (cash) to Carer’s Credit (State Pension protection) to the UC carer element. Here is everything available to carers in 2026/27 and how to access it.
Benefits Available to Carers: Overview
| Benefit | Weekly/monthly value | Requires | Cash? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carer’s Allowance | £83.30/week | 35+ hrs care, person on qualifying benefit, earnings ≤£151/wk net | Yes |
| UC carer element | £198.31/month | 35+ hrs care, UC claim | Yes (via UC) |
| Carer’s Credit | NI credit only | 20+ hrs care, person on qualifying benefit | No |
| Pension Credit carer addition | ~£45.60/week | Pension age, caring for someone | Yes (via PC) |
| Council Tax Reduction | Varies | Low income | Yes |
Carer’s Allowance 2026/27
Carer’s Allowance is the main cash benefit for carers.
Eligibility:
- Provide at least 35 hours of care per week
- The person you care for receives PIP (daily living component, either rate), DLA (middle or higher care), Attendance Allowance, or another qualifying benefit
- Your net earnings are no more than £151/week after deducting tax, NI, and half of any pension contributions
- You are not in full-time education (21+ hours/week)
- You are 16 or over
Rate: £83.30/week (£4,331.60/year) — paid weekly or every four weeks.
Carer’s Allowance is taxable but rarely results in a tax bill unless combined with other income above the personal allowance (£12,570).
Key warning — severe disability premium: If the person you care for receives the severe disability premium within Pension Credit or legacy benefits (worth approximately £76.40/week), that premium is withdrawn when you claim Carer’s Allowance. Always calculate the household net impact before claiming — see our Carer’s Allowance guide.
Universal Credit Carer Element
If you claim Universal Credit, you may receive the carer element of £198.31/month on top of your standard UC allowance.
You qualify if you:
- Provide regular and substantial care (broadly 35+ hours/week) to a severely disabled person
- That person receives a qualifying disability benefit
Critically, you do not need to be claiming Carer’s Allowance to receive the UC carer element. If you earn above the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit (£151/week), you can still receive the UC carer element if your total household income is low enough to qualify for UC.
Combined example: A part-time worker earning £600/month net who also receives Carer’s Allowance (£361/month):
- UC sees total income of £961/month
- UC carer element (+£198.31) included in UC calculation
- 55% taper applies to all income above work allowance
- Net position depends on household circumstances — always use the gov.uk benefits calculator
Carer’s Credit
If you cannot claim Carer’s Allowance — perhaps because you work and earn above £151/week — you can claim Carer’s Credit instead.
Carer’s Credit gives you National Insurance credits that count towards your State Pension. It requires:
- At least 20 hours of care per week (not 35)
- The person you care for must be receiving a qualifying disability benefit, or you need a statement from a healthcare professional
Carer’s Credit is important because each year without NI credits can reduce your State Pension by approximately £5.82/week (1/35th of the full new State Pension of £221.20/week in 2025/26). Missing years add up.
Who should claim Carer’s Credit:
- Working carers earning above £151/week (ineligible for Carer’s Allowance)
- Carers who provide between 20 and 34 hours/week
- Anyone whose NI record has gaps from periods of caring
Pension Credit Carer Addition
If you are over State Pension age (66) and care for someone, Pension Credit may include a carer addition of £45.60/week on top of the standard guarantee credit.
You qualify for the carer addition if you receive Carer’s Allowance — or if you would qualify for it but don’t get it because your State Pension is higher (known as an “underlying entitlement”). Around 400,000 carers over 66 may be missing this — if you are a carer at pension age, check your Pension Credit entitlement even if you are not getting Carer’s Allowance.
Council Tax Reduction for Carers
Many councils offer Council Tax Reduction (CTR) discounts to carers. In addition:
- Carer’s disregard: If you are a full-time carer (broadly 35+ hours/week) living with the disabled person, your local council may disregard you as a non-dependant — meaning your presence doesn’t reduce the disabled person’s Housing Benefit
- Single person discount: If you are a sole carer who lives alone after the person you care for moves into a care home, you may qualify for the 25% single person council tax discount
What to Claim First
- Check if the person you care for has a qualifying benefit — PIP, DLA, or Attendance Allowance must be in payment before you can claim Carer’s Allowance
- Claim Carer’s Allowance if you provide 35+ hours/week and earn under £151/week net
- If already on UC, check you are receiving the carer element — report your caring role in your UC journal if not
- Claim Carer’s Credit if you do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance but provide 20+ hours of care
- Check Pension Credit if you are 66+ and receiving Carer’s Allowance or have an underlying entitlement
See our Carer’s Allowance guide and Universal Credit guide for full detail.