Applying for Carer's Allowance for the first time? We share our tips

January 2023

carersuk.org

Saving the UK an estimated £132 billion per year, unpaid carers make

an immense contribution to society. However, many people don’t

realise that they could receive financial support in the form of Carer’s

Allowance.

If you are looking after someone for 35 hours a week or more, you may be

eligible to receive a weekly allowance of £69.70 per week. For more details

on the eligibility criteria and claims process, download our factsheet.

Here are some of the key tips we share with carers through our

Helpline, who are applying for Carer’s Allowance for the first time.

TIP 1: Get a benefits check

Having a benefits check is a useful way to find out if you are getting all the

help that you are entitled to. You may find that you are entitled to more

financial support than you thought, and it may save you time by preventing

you from applying for the wrong benefits.

Applying for Carer’s Allowance for

the first time? We share our tips

Before you arrange one, it is a good idea to have information to hand about

your existing income, such as benefits, savings, earnings, pension and

childcare payments (and any partner’s). You can contact us by emailing

[email protected]

to arrange one, or contact the benefits charity,

Turn2us for more information. You could also try using the benefit

calculator here.

If you are unsure if are eligible for Carer’s Allowance, ask for some advice

before you start so that you’re absolutely clear of the information you need

to provide in your application.

TIP 2: Claim online; it’s faster and simpler

You have the option of downloading the form online, printing it off, filling it

in by hand and sending it off via post. However, a more convenient and

faster way might be to complete the form online.

Before filling in the personal details of the form, you will be asked a series

of questions to find out if you meet the basic eligibility criteria, which can

ultimately save you time: www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/how-to-claim

TIP 3: Have your personal information handy

1. Before filling in your form, be ready to reference your: full contact

details, National Insurance number (you may need any partner’s too),

bank or building society details, employment details and the latest

payslip if you are working, P45 if you have recently finished work, and

course details if you are studying.

2. You will also need the date of birth and address of the person you

care for, their National Insurance number if they are 16 or over, or

their Disability Living Allowance reference number if they are under

16.

3. If you need to send any supporting information with your application

(ie

, payslips or accounts), try to do this at the same time as you

submit your application, or as soon as possible.

4. If it’s not possible to send these, try to explain why and include as

much information as possible in the ‘More Information’ section of the

pplication. This can include self-employed gross income, expenses

and dates.

TIP 4: Keep a copy of your form and any supporting

documents.

• If you are applying online, at one stage in the process, you can select

the option to receive an email confirmation of your application being

received. This will be useful as a point of reference if you need to get in

touch at a later date.

• If you are sending a paper application form, we recommend that you

keep a copy of it in case you need to refer to details at a later date.

Should the original get lost in the post, you can also send it out again

without having to fill in another form.

• If you are sending a payslip, P45 or accounts with your application,

make sure you have copies of these too.

TIP 5: Check if your claim can be backdated.

If you have been providing care for three months prior to submitting your

claim, you can get your claim backdated by up to three months (provided

you met the eligibility criteria in this period). The person you care for will

need to have been receiving a qualifying disability benefit during this period

too.

TIP 6: Struggling with the form? Call the Carer’s Allowance

Unit.

• If you encounter any problems with the application itself and have any

technical difficulties, or you would prefer to apply using an alternative

format, including over the phone, you could call the Carer’s Allowance

Unit on 0800 731 0297, Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm.

• Our understanding is that their phone lines are currently very busy, so

you may need to persevere. If it’s not possible to call this number, you

can contact them by textphone: 0800 731 0317 or Relay UK (if you

cannot hear or speak on the phone): 18001 then 0800 731 0297.

• It may help to make a note of the date and time you called the Carer’s

Allowance Unit, in case you need it at a later date and especially if you

make a claim by this route.

TIP 7: Remember when you need to provide updates.

If you are awarded Carer’s Allowance, you should be given information of

when you need to report a change in your circumstances to the Carer’s

Allowance Unit.

Examples of this can be if your earnings change, your pattern of work

changes or if you take a break in caring. If your circumstances (including

earnings) do change, you must notify the Carer’s Allowance Unit directly as

soon as possible (even if you have informed another benefits department).

This is to avoid a situation where you could be overpaid a benefit or

experience administrative problems.

Note: For more information, contact our Helpline Team by emailing

[email protected] if you have any questions or concerns about

Carer’s Allowance.

lease note

We’re often confused with the Carer’s Allowance Unit of the Department of

Work and Pensions (DWP), who administer and pay Carer’s Allowance.

We can help answer questions about Carer’s Allowance. However,

because we are not linked to the DWP, we cannot update any

details/circumstances that relate to your personal Carer’s Allowance claim

or access your benefit claim file to see if your benefit has been paid.

carersuk.org

is information is designed to provide helpful guidance. It is not an

authoritative statement of the law. We work to ensure that our information is

accurate and up to date, but this guidance is subject to change over time. We

would recommend contacting the Carers UK Helpline or visiting our website

for the latest information.

Carers UK is a charity registered in England and Wales (246329) and in Scotland (SC039307)

and a company limited by

guarantee registered in England & Wales (864097).

Registered office: 20 Great Dover Street, London SE1 4LX