Guides › Public Services › Carer's Allowance: Who Can Get It
Carer's Allowance: Who Can Get It
Carer's Allowance is £86.45 a week if you care for someone for at least 35 hours a week and they get a qualifying disability benefit. You must be 16 or over, not in full-time education, and earn £204 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses. You do not have to be related to or live with them.
At a Glance
Your Rights
What the rules say, with a link to the official source for each.
Carer's Allowance
GOV.UK
You could get £86.45 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits. You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for. Carer's Allowance can affect the other benefits that you and the person you care for get. source
Eligibility
You must be 16 or over, not in full-time education, and earn £204 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses. The person you care for must get a qualifying benefit, such as the daily living part of PIP, the middle or highest care rate of DLA, or Attendance Allowance. source
Time Limits to Know
Miss a deadline and you can lose a right. Check the dates on your own paperwork.
- £204Weekly earnings limitAfter tax, NI and expenses
Steps to Take
Step 1 of 5
Check the person you care for gets a qualifying benefit.
Step 2 of 5
Work out your earnings after deductions.
Step 3 of 5
Check how it affects their benefits first.
Step 4 of 5
Claim online on GOV.UK.
Step 5 of 5
Tell the Carer's Allowance Unit about any change in earnings.
(Tap the numbers to reveal steps)
Where to Go If It Is Not Put Right
Your options, in order, and when each one applies.
Mandatory Reconsideration (GOV.UK)
Ask for a benefit decision to be looked at again.
Good to Know
Small things that make your complaint stronger.
Going over the earnings limit, even slightly, can lead to an overpayment. Report changes quickly.
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Lead reviewer
Luke Marley
Founder and Lead Reviewer
Luke founded CPUK in 2026 after seeing how hard it is for ordinary people to get problems with companies put right. He oversees our guides and checks them against official sources.
Research by Katie Burt, Co-founder and Operations Lead (17 years in the care sector, including managing services for vulnerable adults), and the CPUK Research Team. Researched with AI-assisted research tools, then checked and corrected by our team.
Last checked: 13 October 2026. We are not paid by the companies we write about. Adverts never affect our guidance. Read our editorial policy.
Sources and official links
- gov.uk/carers-allowance Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility Checked 13 October 2026
- gov.uk/mandatory-reconsideration Checked 13 October 2026