Carer's Allowance 2026/27
Carer's Allowance is £86.45 a week in 2026/27. You can get it if you care for someone for at least 35 hours a week and you earn £204 a week or less after tax, National Insurance and expenses. In Scotland the same support is called Carer Support Payment.
The rules in three lines
- You care for someone for at least 35 hours a week, and they get a qualifying disability benefit such as the daily living part of Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance.
- You are 16 or over, you are not in full-time education, and you earn £204 a week or less after tax, National Insurance and expenses.
- Only one carer can claim for each person, and the allowance can change other benefits that you and the person you care for get.
| What | 2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Carer's Allowance | £86.45 a week |
| Earnings limit | £204 a week |
| Care needed | 35 hours a week |
Source: www.gov.uk/government/publications/benefit-and-pension-rates-2026-to-2027/proposed-benefit-and-pension-rates-2026-to-2027, checked 12 October 2026; www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/eligibility, checked 12 October 2026.
This is information, not advice. The Department for Work and Pensions decides every claim. These are the rules for England and Wales.
Earnings and the limit
The earnings limit is checked against what you earn after tax, National Insurance and some expenses, such as half of any pension contributions and some care costs while you work. If your earnings go over the limit, even by a small amount, you are not entitled to Carer's Allowance for that week. Tell the Carer's Allowance Unit as soon as your earnings change, because overpayments have to be paid back.
The take-home pay calculator shows your pay after tax and National Insurance, which is the starting point for the check. GOV.UK explains how earnings are counted.
Effect on other benefits
Carer's Allowance counts as income for most means-tested benefits, so it can lower them. It can also give the person you care for a lower amount of some benefits, such as the severe disability amount in Pension Credit. On the other hand, it can add a carer amount to your own Pension Credit or Universal Credit, and you get National Insurance credits for each week you receive it, which count towards the State Pension.
Claiming
You can claim Carer's Allowance on GOV.UK. If the person you care for has just been awarded a disability benefit, the disability award checklist lists the next checks to make, including whether a carer can claim. People over State Pension age can also check Pension Credit.