Can you claim Carer's Allowance for an elderly parent?

# Can You Claim Carer's Allowance for an Elderly Parent?

You are at your mum's house most days. You do the shopping, sort the post, drive her to appointments, help with washing and meals, and answer the phone at night. Somewhere along the way a friend says, "Isn't there a benefit for that?" There is, but it has strict rules, and many adult children who care for a parent find they do not qualify, or have not claimed something they could. This guide walks through Carer's Allowance in England and Wales, the separate carer's assessment, and the paperwork to gather first.

Carer's Allowance in one minute

Carer's Allowance is a weekly payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for people who give regular, substantial care. GOV.UK shows the rate as £86.45 a week (checked November 2026). You can choose to be paid weekly in advance or every four weeks. It is taxable if your total income is over your Personal Allowance, and you automatically get National Insurance credits for each week you receive it, which helps protect your State Pension record.

You do not need to be related to the person, and you do not need to live with them. You do not get extra for caring for more than one person, and only one carer can claim for the same person.

In Scotland you apply for Carer Support Payment instead; the rest of this guide describes the England and Wales rules.

The rules you have to meet

According to the GOV.UK eligibility page, you must meet all of these:

• You are 16 or over.
• You spend at least 35 hours a week caring for the person. Care can include helping with washing and cooking, going to medical appointments, and household tasks.
• Your earnings are £204 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and certain expenses.
• You are not in full-time education or studying 21 hours a week or more.
• You meet the residence rules (broadly, you have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least two of the last three years and normally live in England, Scotland or Wales).
• You are not subject to immigration control.

The rule that surprises most families is the last one on the list: the person you care for must already be getting a qualifying benefit. For an older parent this is most often Attendance Allowance. It can also be the daily living part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), or certain rates of Disability Living Allowance. GOV.UK gives the full list. If your parent has never claimed, Carer's Allowance is not available to you yet.

Step 1: Check whether your parent gets a qualifying benefit

Ask your parent, or look at their letters. Attendance Allowance is for people at or above State Pension age with a physical or mental disability or health condition who need help looking after themselves. GOV.UK says you do not need to have a carer to claim it, and it does not cover mobility needs. It has two weekly rates depending on the level of care needed.

If your parent does not get it, a claim may be possible with their agreement, as it is their benefit and their information. Government pages note that benefits can affect each other. For example, claiming can change other benefits the person you care for receives, so it is wise to get free advice from Age UK, Carers UK or Citizens Advice before you apply for yourself.

Step 2: Count your hours honestly

The 35 hours is a weekly total of caring tasks, not time spent in the same room. Keep a simple week-long log: personal care, meals, medication help, appointments and travel, cleaning and laundry, paperwork, and night-time calls. If you share care with a sibling, remember that only one of you can claim.

Step 3: Check your earnings and other income

Your weekly earnings after deductions must be £204 or less. Carer's Allowance can interact with other benefits you receive. GOV.UK says that if your State Pension is £86.45 a week or more you would receive no Carer's Allowance payment, although you may still have an "underlying entitlement" that can raise other benefits. Ask an adviser how that applies to you.

Step 4: Gather what you need to apply

You can apply online on GOV.UK or use paper form DS700. Have these ready:

• your National Insurance number, date of birth and bank details
• your parent's name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number
• the benefit your parent receives and, if you have it, the reference from their award letter
• your employer or earnings details, if you work
• dates of any time either of you spent in hospital or abroad

It helps to keep these in one place. A one-page medical information sheet and a folder for award letters are enough. If you also manage GP services for your parent, see NHS proxy access for a parent and how to find your parent's NHS number.

Step 5: Tell DWP when things change

Carer's Allowance can be affected if your earnings go up, your parent goes into hospital for a period, your parent stops getting their qualifying benefit, or the care arrangement changes. GOV.UK notes that DWP has been reassessing overpayments made between 10 April 2015 and 2 September 2025, so reporting changes promptly matters.

The carer's assessment: separate and free

A carer's assessment is not a benefit. NHS.UK describes it as a free assessment, available to anyone over 18 who cares regularly for someone who is ill, older or disabled. The council looks at how caring affects your health, work, free time and relationships, and can suggest support, such as arranging someone to cover so you can take a break, training on safe lifting, local groups, or benefits advice.

To ask for one, contact adult social services at your parent's local council. It usually takes about an hour, often face to face, and you can bring someone with you. It is separate from your parent's own care needs assessment, but you can ask for both to be done at the same time. If the council offers support, it writes a plan with you, and the council may carry out a financial assessment (means test). If you do not qualify, the council should still give free advice on local sources of help. You can ask for a carer's assessment even if you do not get Carer's Allowance.

Sharing care with brothers and sisters

Only one person can receive Carer's Allowance for your parent. If you and a sibling split the week, decide together who claims, and keep notes on who does what. Our guide on sharing parent care with siblings has a way to agree this without arguments, and the caring for elderly parents guide gives a four-week starting plan.

Where ParentFile fits

ParentFile is an organization tool. It helps you keep a parent's medical details together and share a one-page sheet with family. It does not apply for benefits, check eligibility or give financial, medical or legal advice. You can start with the free ER sheet. If your parent is coming home from hospital, our hospital discharge checklist lists what to ask, and our UK LPA checklist covers the paperwork to talk about while your parent can still decide.

Printable checklist

• Ask your parent what they are comfortable sharing, and agree who will handle the paperwork
• Check whether your parent gets Attendance Allowance, PIP daily living, DLA or another qualifying benefit
• Keep a one-week log of caring hours (35 hours is the minimum)
• Work out your weekly earnings after tax, National Insurance and allowable costs
• Check your State Pension amount if you are of pension age
• Collect both of your National Insurance numbers and your bank details
• Apply online on GOV.UK or with form DS700
• Ask your parent's council for a carer's assessment
• Agree with siblings who claims, and note who does what
• Note the date of any hospital stay or change and tell DWP