Posting this because Carer's Allowance is the benefit most eligible carers don't claim, and the numbers just shifted. Turn2us puts the unclaimed figure at around £1.3bn a year, with roughly 400,000 eligible UK carers missing out.
From 6 April 2026 the weekly rate is £86.45 (up from £83.30 last year). Over a year that's roughly £4,495. The earnings limit also rose from £196/week to £204/week.
The eligibility tests that confuse people:
- You have to be caring 35+ hours a week for someone receiving a qualifying disability benefit (PIP daily living, Attendance Allowance, mid/high rate DLA care, or Scottish Adult Disability Payment).
- The person you care for can be your parent, your child, your spouse, a friend, anyone. Doesn't have to be a relative.
- You and the person you care for don't have to live together.
- You have to be earning £204/week or less net (after tax, NI, and half of any pension contributions).
- You can't be in full-time education (more than 21 hours a week).
The trap most pensioners hit: if your State Pension is more than £86.45/week, you won't actually be paid Carer's Allowance because of the overlapping benefits rule. But you'll be treated as having "underlying entitlement", which unlocks the Carer Premium in Pension Credit (around £50/week extra in 2026/27) and additional Council Tax Reduction in many local authorities. Worth claiming just for that.
Claims can be backdated 3 months. Apply at gov.uk/carers-allowance or by phone on 0800 731 0297. Scotland has its own equivalent now (Carer Support Payment, same rate) since November 2023.
Full breakdown of the rules + interaction with Universal Credit and Pension Credit: trendingsheet.com/article/uk-carers-allowance-2026-27-86-pounds-per-week-400000-missing-out
Anyone here claiming for a parent or partner and ran into the State Pension overlap?