Carers Week: Recognising and Supporting Unpaid Carers

Carer’s Allowance 

Carer's Allowance is the main welfare benefit to help carers. 

To be eligible for Carer's Allowance, you must: 

• spend at least 35 hours per week caring for someone, whether or not you live with them 
• care for someone who receives certain benefits 
• not be in full-time education or earning more than £151 a week (after tax and expenses) 
• Apply Here 

Use Age UK benefits checker to see what benefits you may be entitled to as a carer 

Carer’s Credit 

If you give up work to care for someone, you might be worried that not paying National Insurance (NI) will lower your State Pension. But if you care for someone for at least 20 hours per week, you could get Carer's Credit, which helps to maintain your NI record. 

If you get Carer’s Allowance, you'll get Carer's Credit automatically. However, you don’t have to be receiving Carer’s Allowance to get Carer's Credit. 

Find out more about Carer's Credit on GOV.UK 

Flexible working  

Since 6 April 2024, you have the right to request flexible working arrangements to help you fulfil your responsibilities. Flexible working arrangements could help you find a work pattern that suits your caring role and gives you more time to take care of yourself, too. Though your employer doesn't have to say yes, they need a sound business reason for saying no. 

Your employer might suggest a trial of flexible working before making any arrangements permanent to see how it works for the organisation and for you.  

Flexible working might involve: 

• Working compressed hours. This is when you work the same number of hours but over fewer days – such as 8am to 6pm over four days rather than 9am to 5pm over five days. 

• Changing your working hours. Perhaps you could start work earlier or finish later to help you with your caring responsibilities. 

• Part-time working or job sharing. This is when you share your job with another colleague and split the hours between the two of you. 

• Location flexible working. Perhaps you could work from home all or part of the time, be on call from wherever you want to be based, or work in different branches of your organisation if you sometimes need to be near a relative, care home or hospital. 

Time off in an emergency 

You have the right to time off in an emergency when it involves someone who's dependent on you – for example, your partner, your parent, or your child. If someone else relies on you for help, they may also count as a dependant. 

Examples of when you might need to use this right include: 

• when your normal care arrangements have been cancelled or changed 

• when you need time off to organise long-term arrangements for the person you care for. 

• if the person you care for dies, is ill, or has an accident. 

• Whether or not the time off is paid is up to your employer. 

Find out more about your rights as a carer on the Carer's UK website 

Friendship Clubs and Day Services 

Our Friendship Clubs and Day Services offer valuable opportunities for older people to socialise, enjoy activities and connect with others in a welcoming environment. These services not only help reduce loneliness and isolation for those attending, but also provide important respite for carers. 

Respite care 

Respite care is the term used for services that enable you to take a break from caring. A respite care service is provided to the person you care for, to temporarily replace the care you would otherwise give them. 

See Age UK’s website to find out more about what types of respite care is available.   

What is Respite Care? | Age UK