What is Carer's Allowance?
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In short: A weekly payment for people providing at least 35 hours of care a week to someone receiving a qualifying disability benefit, provided the carer's own earnings (after tax, NI and half of pension contributions) are below a weekly threshold.
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You can claim Carer's Allowance if you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone who gets the daily-living component of PIP/ADP, Attendance Allowance, the middle or higher care rate of DLA, or Armed Forces Independence Payment.
The earnings limit and weekly payment rate are uprated each April — check gov.uk for current amounts. Carer's Allowance is taxable and counts as income for Universal Credit.
Even if your earnings are too high, you may still qualify for Carer's Credit (a National Insurance credit only) by certifying 20+ hours a week of care.
Primary source: gov.uk/carers-allowance
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