Can you access benefits for carers? Will you manage financially, can you still work, and how will you cope emotionally? 

You’re not alone in those worries. A report from Carers UK found that 1 in 5 family carers struggle to make ends meet. 

In this guide, we’ll look at your options as a family carer, and how you can access funding and support. We’ll also talk about carers’ rights at work, and looking after your mental health as a family carer.

As a carer, you might be entitled to some financial support from your local authority, carers’ organisations, or other sources. Alternatively, you might be able to access funding to hire professional care workers, or be entitled to additional leave so that you can keep your job.

Are you looking for residential or home care for your loved one? Find Your Room can help. Simply use our care search, enter your location, and filter by vacant properties to find care services that have availability near you. Whether you want respite care or home care to supplement your own support, or you’re considering moving your loved one to long-term residential care, Find Your Room can help you find the best solution for you and your family.

Do you get paid to be a family carer?

In most cases, you won’t earn a salary as a family carer. Unfortunately, if you’ve given up work to look after a loved one, you probably won’t make the same amount as you did before. However, if you support a family member or friend, you may be able to access some benefits for carers.

The person you support can’t usually pay you with their local authority funding. They may receive direct payments to pay for their care services. In most cases, these payments can’t be used to pay a partner or family member. Instead, they should be used to hire a home care agency or personal assistant. If you have questions about using direct payments, you should talk to your local authority.

What benefits can you claim if you are a carer?

  • Carer’s Allowance
  • Universal Credit, including the Carer Element
  • Carer’s Credit
  • Grants and other funding
  • Support from your local authority 
  • Discounts and certain priority services

You may not be eligible for all of these benefits and grants, but if you’re caring for someone and worried about money, you should be aware of what is available.

Let’s look at these carers’ benefits in the UK in more detail.

Carer’s Allowance

Being a carer for a family member or friend is a full-time job for many people. If you look after your loved one for more than 35 hours each week, you may be eligible to claim Carer’s Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance is currently £86.45 a week. Depending on your other income, you may also need to pay tax on this. You won’t get extra if you support more than one person, and if someone else also cares for the same person, only one of you can claim Carer’s Allowance.

To claim Carer’s Allowance, the person you support must already claim one of the following benefits:

  • Attendance Allowance 
  • The daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) 
  • The middle of highest care rate of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
  • Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit, or Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic rate with a War Disablement Pension 
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment 

You don’t have to live with the person you support, and you can continue to work if you’re claiming Carer’s Allowance. However, you must care for the person for more than 35 hours each week.

You can’t claim the full amount of State Pension and Carer’s Allowance at the same time. However, if your pension is less than £86.45 a week, you may be able to get the difference paid as Carer’s Allowance.

Am I eligible for Carer’s Allowance?

  • Do you spend more than 35 hours a week caring for your family member or friend?
  • Does the person you support claim one of the qualifying benefits mentioned above?
  • Are you 16 or over?
  • Have you lived in England, Wales, or Scotland for at least two of the last three years?
  • Do you normally live in England or Wales, or only live elsewhere because you’re a member of the armed forces?
  • Do you earn less than £204 per week after tax, National Insurance, and expenses? 
  • Have you left full-time education?

If you’ve answered yes to all of these questions, you may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance.

You can apply for Carer’s Allowance online. 

Universal Credit

Universal Credit has replaced a variety of other benefits, including Income Support, Housing Benefit (unless you currently live in a supported living scheme), and Working Tax Credit. If you’re on a low income or not in work, and have savings of less than £16,000, you may be entitled to Universal Credit.

The amount you’ll receive will vary depending on your circumstances. 

If you care for someone for more than 35 hours each week, you may be eligible for the Carer Element of Universal Credit. If you have a dependent child or children, you may also be eligible for the child element.

You can apply for Universal Credit online.

Carer’s Credit

If you care for someone for at least 20 hours each week, you may be eligible for National Insurance credits. This will help you avoid gaps in your National Insurance record – so you’ll still be eligible for your State Pension when the time comes.

Your income and savings don’t affect whether you can receive Carer’s Credit. Many people who aren’t eligible for Carer’s Allowance are still eligible for Carer’s Credit.

Am I eligible for Carer’s Credit?

  • Do you care for someone for more than 20 hours each week?
  • Are you under State Pension age?
  • Are you aged 16 or over?

If you’ve answered yes to these questions, you may be eligible for Carer’s Credit.

You can claim Carer’s Credit online. If you already receive Carer’s Allowance, there’s no need to claim – you’re already getting National Insurance credits. 

Grants and other funding

Grants are payments that you don’t have to pay back. They’re usually a one-off sum, and may be intended for a specific purpose, like respite care, equipment, or a holiday. 

Organisations like the Carers Trust give grants to some family carers. Depending on your circumstances and personal history, you and your loved one may also be eligible for other grants – perhaps from previous employers, charities, or local support groups. 

You can search for grants online.

Support from your local authority

You’re entitled to a free carer’s assessment from your local authority. During the assessment, someone from the council will ask questions about your caring responsibilities, and they’ll make some recommendations.

Your local authority may offer:

  • Respite care
  • Free or reduced gym memberships
  • Support with transportation or costs
  • Help with housework
  • Benefits advice
  • Training in key areas such as moving and handling
  • Signposting to local support groups

To apply for a carer’s assessment, contact your local Adult Social Care department.

Depending on their circumstances, your local authority may also help your loved one pay for care. 

Discounts and priority services

As a family carer, you may be entitled to discounted or free services with some organisations. You may have heard of a Council Tax benefit for carers, but did you know that you may be eligible for many more discounts and priority services?

Discounts and free services for carers may include:

  • Discounted Council Tax  
  • Free or reduced legal services through the Carers Trust
  • Free or reduced entry to certain attractions throughout the UK, if you’re accompanying the person you support
  • Free or discounted gym memberships
  • Free flu jabs

You and your loved one may also have priority access to some services. You should sign up with the Priority Services Register, so that you and your loved one will get extra support if there’s a disruption to your energy or water supply. 

Managing a career and being a carer

Lots of people want or need to continue working, in addition to looking after their loved one. However, being a carer for a family member or friend can be time-consuming – and this can affect your work life. As an employee, you have some legal rights that may help you balance your work and caring.

Carers’ rights at work include:

  • Flexible working: All employees have the right to request flexible working arrangements. You may want to request a change to the hours you work each week, ask to work from home, or arrange a job share or part-time hours.  
  • Time off for dependants: If someone relies on you for support, you are allowed time off to deal with emergencies involving them. For example, if your mother has an accident and needs to go to hospital, you’re entitled to take time off to support her. Once the emergency has passed, your employer may ask you to take annual leave if you need extra time away from work. Time off for dependants doesn’t have to be paid – this will depend on your employer’s own policies. 
  • Unpaid parental leave: If you care for your own child (including adopted children), you are entitled to 18 weeks’ leave up until their 18th birthday. You must take this leave as whole weeks. You must give 21 days’ notice that you intend to take unpaid parental leave.
  • Protection from discrimination: Your employer can’t treat you unfairly because you’re a carer. For example, they can’t overlook you for promotions or refuse to schedule you for shifts just because of your caring responsibilities. 

Taking a break from caring

Being a carer for a family member or friend is a very difficult job – and it can get harder as you age, and as your loved one grows or their condition progresses. In time, some people find that they need to arrange professional care for the person they support. 

Whether you choose a care home or supported living scheme, or visits from home care workers, professional care can help you and your loved one to thrive. 

They may enjoy the increased social interaction and activities that come with professional care – and many family carers say that they have real peace of mind, knowing that their loved one is well-supported. 

Find Your Room is here to help make this transition easier for you. Our care search lets you find care services near you, and even filter by availability – so you can contact appropriate properties, confident that they’ll have space for your loved one.