The Short Answer
Yes. If the person you care for gets Attendance Allowance, you may be able to claim Carer’s Allowance, which is £86.45 a week in 2026/27. You need to care for them for at least 35 hours a week and earn £204 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses. You do not have to be related to them or live with them.
One rule matters most: the person you care for must already be getting Attendance Allowance (or another qualifying benefit). Your claim cannot start until their award is in place, so if they have not applied yet, that is the first step.
Rules and figures checked against GOV.UK in October 2026: Carer’s Allowance eligibility.
Attendance Allowance and Carer’s Allowance: What Is the Difference?
They are two separate benefits, paid to two different people, and they are linked. Attendance Allowance is paid to the person who needs care. Carer’s Allowance is paid to the person who provides it, and the carer’s claim depends on the other person’s award.
| Attendance Allowance | Carer’s Allowance | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid to | The person with care needs (State Pension age or over) | The person caring for them |
| Weekly amount, 2026/27 | £76.70 (lower rate) or £114.60 (higher rate) | £86.45 |
| What it is based on | Needing help with personal care or supervision because of a disability or health condition | Caring for at least 35 hours a week for someone who gets a qualifying benefit |
| Taxable? | No | Yes, if your total income is over the Personal Allowance |
See our 2026/27 Attendance Allowance rates guide for the full breakdown, and is Attendance Allowance taxable? for how tax works on the benefit itself.
Who Can Claim Carer’s Allowance for Someone on Attendance Allowance?
GOV.UK says all of the following must apply to you:
- You are 16 or over
- You spend at least 35 hours a week caring for them. Helping with washing and cooking, taking them to appointments, and managing bills and shopping can all count
- Your earnings are £204 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses
- You are not in full-time education and not studying for 21 hours a week or more
- You have been in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years, with some exceptions
- You normally live in England or Wales. If you live in Scotland, you claim Carer Support Payment instead
- You are not subject to immigration control
What counts as earnings?
Earnings means income from employment and self-employment after tax, National Insurance and expenses. Expenses can include 50% of your pension contributions and some of the cost of paying for care while you work. Money from an occupational or private pension does not count as earnings.
What if more than one person helps with care?
Only one person can claim Carer’s Allowance for the same person, and you are not paid extra for caring for more than one person. If someone else already claims for the person you look after, GOV.UK says to speak to them about changing their benefits. If they do not want to, you can still apply and the DWP will decide who should receive it.
Carer’s Allowance for Pensioners and Carers Over State Pension Age
If you are over State Pension age yourself, the rules work differently.
- You cannot get the full amount of both Carer’s Allowance and your State Pension. If your State Pension is £86.45 a week or more, you will not receive a Carer’s Allowance payment. If it is less, you get a payment to make up the difference
- If you get Pension Credit, it can still be worth claiming. You could get an extra £48.15 a week in Pension Credit if you get Carer’s Allowance, or if you have claimed it but are not paid because you already get another benefit that pays more
How Your Claim Can Affect the Person You Care For
Check this before you claim
GOV.UK says that when you get Carer’s Allowance, the person you care for will usually stop getting a severe disability premium paid with their benefits, and the extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit. They might also stop getting reduced Council Tax.
The Pension Credit severe disability amount is £86.05 a week in 2026/27, and Carer’s Allowance is £86.45, so for some households the two roughly cancel out. Our guide to Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit explains who qualifies for that amount.
Your own benefits will usually go up or stay the same when you claim, and you build National Insurance credits for each week Carer’s Allowance is paid. But the household as a whole can be better or worse off, so it is worth working out the combined position, for example with an online benefits calculator, and asking the local council about Council Tax, before you decide.
How to Claim Carer’s Allowance
You can apply online on GOV.UK. Have these ready:
- Your National Insurance number, and your partner’s if you have one
- Your bank or building society details, unless you get your State Pension
- Employment details and your latest payslip, if you are working
- The person’s date of birth, address and National Insurance number
You can backdate a Carer’s Allowance claim by up to 3 months. Attendance Allowance is different: it is paid from your claim start date, so a delay in applying for it cannot be made up later. The official page is GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance, make a claim.
Caring for Someone Who Has Not Claimed Attendance Allowance Yet?
Because your claim depends on their award, a strong Attendance Allowance application is the first step for the whole family. It is also the part many families find hardest. The form is long, and the decision rests on how clearly the care needs, especially at night, are described. Our guide to how the Attendance Allowance application works explains why.
At Attendance Allowance Services:
- The eligibility check is free. You speak to a registered Occupational Therapist, with no obligation
- We complete the application for you. Your Occupational Therapist completes and endorses it, and we post it by 1st Class Royal Mail within 4 days for your approval, signature and submission to the DWP
- No fee unless it is successful. Any fee is collected after you receive the backdated payment
- Family members and carers are welcome. We are happy to talk to anyone supporting an applicant. See whether someone else can fill in the form
Caring for someone who may qualify?
Find out whether they could get Attendance Allowance, which also opens the door to Carer’s Allowance. Free eligibility check, no obligation, and no fee unless the application is successful.
Or call us on 0208 081 4500 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get Carer’s Allowance and Attendance Allowance?
Yes, but they are usually paid to two different people. Attendance Allowance goes to the person who needs care and Carer’s Allowance goes to the person caring for them. A carer can claim Carer’s Allowance once the person they care for is getting Attendance Allowance, as long as they also meet the rules on hours, earnings and residence.
Does the person I care for need to get Attendance Allowance before I can claim?
Yes. GOV.UK says the person you care for must already get a qualifying benefit. Attendance Allowance is one of them. Others include the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment and the middle or highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance.
How much is Carer’s Allowance in 2026/27?
Carer’s Allowance is £86.45 a week. You can be paid weekly in advance or every 4 weeks. You do not get extra if you care for more than one person.
Can pensioners claim Carer’s Allowance?
You can claim, but you cannot get the full amount of both Carer’s Allowance and your State Pension. If your State Pension is £86.45 a week or more, you will not be paid Carer’s Allowance. If it is less, you get a payment to make up the difference. If you get Pension Credit, you could still get an extra £48.15 a week in Pension Credit for caring, even when Carer’s Allowance itself is not paid.
Do I have to be related to the person I care for, or live with them?
No. GOV.UK says you do not have to be related to the person you care for or live with them, but you must spend at least 35 hours a week caring for them.
Does claiming Carer’s Allowance affect Attendance Allowance?
GOV.UK does not list Attendance Allowance among the benefits affected. What can change is other support for the person you care for. They will usually stop getting a severe disability premium and the extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit, and they might lose reduced Council Tax. Check the effect before you claim.
Is Carer’s Allowance taxable?
It can be. You pay tax on Carer’s Allowance if your total income is over the Personal Allowance. Attendance Allowance itself is tax-free.
Can Carer’s Allowance be backdated?
Yes, you can backdate a Carer’s Allowance claim by up to 3 months. Attendance Allowance works differently. It is paid from the claim start date, so it is worth applying as soon as possible.
What if more than one person looks after them?
Only one person can claim Carer’s Allowance for the same person. If someone else already claims, speak to them about changing their benefits. If they do not want to, you can still apply and the DWP will decide who should receive it.
What if the person I care for has not claimed Attendance Allowance yet?
Their Attendance Allowance claim comes first, because your claim depends on their award. Attendance Allowance Services can check whether they may qualify for free, and our Occupational Therapists complete the application. There is no fee unless it is successful.