On this page you will find information about:
- Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payments.
- Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment.
- Appealing benefit decisions.
Carer's Allowance
Carer’s Allowance is a monetary benefit for people who spend at least 35 hours a week providing care to someone who has a disability.
The person who is being cared for must be receiving a qualifying rate of a relevant disability benefit. These include:
- Attendance Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment
- Adult Disability Payment
- Armed Forces Independence Payment, and
- Constant Attendance Allowance with a War Disablement Pension.
You don't have to be related to or live with the person you are caring for. Even if you do paid work, you may still be eligible to receive Carer’s Allowance, however, you must earn less than £196 a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses.
You do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance if you are in full-time education.
Only one person can claim Carer’s Allowance for the care of an individual. This means that if someone is already claiming Carer’s Allowance for caring for the same person as you intend to, you can’t both receive the benefit.
You can apply to receive the Carer’s Allowance in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
People who are living in Scotland can apply to receive Carer Support Payments.
If you live in Scotland, learn more about the Carer Support Payments on mygov.scot website.
Find out more about Carer’s Allowance on the Turn2Us website.
Applying in England, and Wales
Online:
If you live in England, or Wales, you can apply to claim Carer’s Allowance:
Apply online on the GOV.UK website.
By post:
You can also apply by post or call the Carer’s Allowance Unit to request a form.
Post completed applications to: Carers Allowance Unit, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 2AB
Download a printable Claim Form on GOV.UK.
Contact Carer's Allowance Unit
Telephone: 0800 731 0297
Text: 0800 731 0317
Applying in Scotland
Online:
If you live in Scotland, you can apply for a Carer Support Payment instead of Carer’s allowance.
Apply online on the Social Security Scotland website.
By post:
Send completed applications to: Carer Support Payment, PO Box 10328, Dundee, DD1 9HE
Download a printable form on mygov.scot
By Phone:
Call Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222 to apply on the phone.
Applying in Northern Ireland
Online:
If you live in Northern Ireland, you can apply to claim Carer’s Allowance:
Apply online on the nidirect website.
By post:
You can apply by post or call the Carer’s Allowance Unit to request a form.
Download a printable Claim Form on the nidirect website.
Telephone: 0800 587 0912
Textphone: 0800 012 1574
Attendance Allowance
Attendance Allowance is a monetary benefit for people of pension age who have care needs to help with a physical or mental disability.
To be eligible for Attendance Allowance, you must have needed help with your care needs for at least 6 months.
It is not means tested so your income is not taken into consideration when checking your eligibility for the Attendance Allowance.
You will not be eligible to receive an attendance allowance if you live in a council-funded care home or hospital.
There are two rates of the Attendance Allowance, a higher and lower benefit. The rate you may be entitled to receive will be dependent on the amount of care and support you need.
You can apply to receive the Attendance Allowance in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, you can apply to receive Pension Age Disability Payment.
Find more information Attendance Allowance on the Turn2Us website.
Learn more about Pension Age Disability payment on the mygov.scot website.
Applying for Attendance Allowance in England, or Wales
Online:
Apply online on the GOV.UK website.
Post:
Download a printable Attendance Allowance Claim Form on GOV.UK.
Post the completed form to: Freepost DWP Attendance Allowance
You do not need a postcode or a stamp
The Department of Work and Pension Helpline can provide you with support in your application.
You can get in contact with them by:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 731 0122
Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm
Applying for Pension Age Disability Payment in Scotland
Online:
Apply online on the Social Security Scotland website.
Post:
Call Social Secutiry Scotland for free on 0800 182 2222 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
The adviser you speak to will take some details to start part 1 of your application.
Social Security Scotland will send you a part 2 paper application form and a prepaid return envelope.
Applying for Attendance Allowance in Northern Ireland
To apply for Attendance Allowance in Northern Ireland, download and complete the form and return it by:
Download the Attendance Allowance Claim Form on the nidirect website.
Post the completed form to: Attendance Allowance, Disability and Carers Service, Mail Opening Unit, PO Box 42, Limavady, BT49 4AN
Find your local Jobs and Benefits Office on the nidirect website.
Appealing a Benefit decision
The Royal British Legion can help anyone in the Armed Forces community appeal any state disability benefits they may be entitled to.
Our expert advisors can guide you from your benefit decision all the way through to taking further action if needed.
To find out more about the support the RBL could offer you, contact us via
Telephone: 0808 802 8080
Telephone overseas: +44 (0)20 3376 8080
Calls are free from UK landlines and main mobile networks
Email: [email protected]
