If you spend 35 hours or more a week caring for someone getting certain disability benefits (and you are not employed to care for them) then:
- Your UC award can include a Carer Element and
- You will be in the No Work-Related Requirements conditionality group.
Starting to care for someone?
If you have recently started caring for someone then you should report this change on your UC account (or by calling the UC Helpline). Make sure you report it as a change in your circumstances.
If the person (or child) you are caring for is getting one of the disability benefits listed below, and you are spending 35 hours or more a week caring for them then you may be entitled to have the Carer Element included in your award.
You may also change the conditionality group you are in – if this does change then you will need to agree a new (reduced) Claimant Commitment.
To be entitled to the Carer Element the person you are looking after has to be on one of the following benefits:
The person you care for must be getting one of these benefits:
- The daily living component of Personal Independence Payment / Adult Disability Payment
- The middle or high rate care component of Disability Living Allowance / Child Disability Payment
- Attendance Allowance/Pension Age Disability Payment or Constant Attendance Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
What if the person I am caring for has applied for one of these benefits, but it has not been awarded yet?
You will not be entitled to the Carer Element in your Universal Credit award until they are awarded the disability benefit.
But, if they are awarded one of these disability benefits then the Carer Element should be included in your Universal Credit award back to the Assessment Period in which you reported you were caring for them (or the Assessment period in which their disability benefit award starts).
So, it is important that you report this change, and check that you receive any back pay that you are due.
What if I am spending less than 35 hours a week caring for them?
Then you will not be entitled to the Carer Element.
You will also not be put in the No Work-Related Requirements conditionality group unless you are also caring for another person and in total the hours you spend caring are 35 a week or more, or you fit into one of the other groups of people who fall into that conditionality group.
My work coach has told me I can’t get a Carer Element because I am not getting Carers Allowance – is that right?
No, that is not correct. If you meet the criteria for getting the Carer Element then it does not matter whether you get Carers Allowance.
Go onto your UC account and report that you are a carer (the only way to do this is to report it as a change). If your next UC award doe not include a Carer Element then send a message about a payment explaining that you think the Carers Element is missing and why you believe you are entitled.
If you need help doing this, speak to a Benefits Adviser.
I’m working, can I still get the Carer Element?
Yes. If you meet the criteria for getting the Carer Element then it does not matter if you are in work, how many hours you work or how much you earn.
Stopping being a carer for someone?
If you have recently stopped caring for someone then you should report this change on your UC account (or by calling the UC Helpline). Make sure you report it as a change in your circumstances.
- If you delay reporting this change you may end up being overpaid and/or have a Civil Penalty of £50 imposed.
- If your Universal Credit award included a Carer Element, then this will be removed from the beginning of the Assessment Period in which you stopped caring.
- If you were in the No Work-Related Requirements conditionality group, then this may change – if this does change then you will need to agree a new Claimant Commitment which may mean that you have to start looking for work and/or having regular appointments with your work coach and/or undertaking some work -related activities.