Carers Allowance Rates 2026/27: Weekly Rate and Limits

In short: Carers allowance rates 2026/27 are £86.45 a week in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with an earnings limit of £204 a week after tax, National Insurance and allowable expenses. You must care for at least 35 hours a week and be 16 or over. Scotland uses Carer Support Payment instead.

Carers allowance rates 2026/27: the weekly rate

The Carer’s Allowance rate for 2026/27 is £86.45 a week, the headline figure in carers allowance rates 2026/27. GOV.UK shows this figure on its Carer’s Allowance pages (as at November 2026), and Carers UK gives it as the rate from April 2026. GOV.UK’s pages do not label the tax year, so the 2026/27 label here comes from Carers UK and the Scottish Government’s 2026/27 up-rating publication, which gives the same figure.

The previous rate was £83.30 a week, according to the Scottish Government’s up-rating publication, so the new rate is a rise of £3.15 a week. You are not paid more for caring for more than one person, and if two people share the care, only one of you can claim for the same person.

For a wider overview of who qualifies and how to apply, see our Carer’s Allowance guide.

Carers allowance weekly rate and how it is paid

You can choose to be paid weekly in advance or every 4 weeks, into an account such as your bank account, according to GOV.UK.

The payment is taxable if your total income is over the Personal Allowance, so it can count towards your tax position even though DWP does not deduct tax from it. For each week you receive Carer’s Allowance you also get National Insurance credits automatically, which help protect your State Pension record. Our Carers Credit guide explains how credits work for carers who do not claim the allowance.

If you claim online, GOV.UK says a claim can be backdated by up to 3 months. You will need your National Insurance number, bank details, and the date of birth, address and National Insurance number of the person you care for (or their Disability Living Allowance reference if they are under 16).

Carers allowance earnings limit for 2026/27

The carers allowance earnings limit is £204 a week after tax, National Insurance and allowable expenses (GOV.UK, with the 2026/27 date confirmed by Carers UK). If you earn more than the limit in a week, you lose Carer’s Allowance for that week. Carers UK describes this as a cliff edge, where even £1 over the limit means losing the full amount.

What counts as earnings

• Pay from employment and self-employment, after tax, National Insurance and allowable expenses.

Expenses you can deduct

• 50% of pension contributions.
• Work equipment, such as specialist clothing.
• Unreimbursed travel between workplaces.
• Business costs for self-employed people, such as a computer used only for work.
• Care costs for the person you look after or your children while you work, up to 50% of your earnings. The carer cannot be your spouse, partner, parent, child or sibling.

What is not counted

• Occupational or private pension income.
• Contributions to living or housing costs from a housemate (not a tenant or boarder).
• The first £20 a week plus half of the rest from a lodger.
• A loan or advance from your employer.

Carers UK reports that the UK Government has announced a taper to replace the cliff edge, likely from 2030/31, but nothing has changed for 2026/27. Our earnings limit guide goes through examples. You must report if you start earning more than the limit.

The 35 hours rule and age rules

You must care for someone for at least 35 hours a week and be aged 16 or over. GOV.UK says qualifying tasks include help with washing, cooking, medical appointments, and household admin such as bills and shopping. You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.

The person you care for must receive a qualifying benefit. GOV.UK lists these:

• Personal Independence Payment, daily living part.
• Disability Living Allowance, middle or highest rate care component.
• Attendance Allowance.
• Adult Disability Payment (Scotland), daily living standard or enhanced.
• Pension Age Disability Payment (Scotland).
• Child Disability Payment (Scotland), middle or highest care rate.
• Scottish Adult DLA, middle or highest rate.
• Armed Forces Independence Payment.
• Certain rates of Constant Attendance Allowance.

You cannot be in full-time education or study 21 hours or more a week. You must have lived in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years, with exceptions such as refugees and people with humanitarian protection, and you cannot be subject to immigration control. If the person you look after does not yet get a qualifying benefit, see our Attendance Allowance guide.

Additional amounts and State Pension overlap

GOV.UK does not list any additional amount added to the Carer’s Allowance rate itself. Extra help comes through other benefits, not the carers allowance weekly rate. You may be able to apply for support from your local council, a Council Tax Reduction, Universal Credit if you are on a low income or out of work, Pension Credit if you are over working age, and grants and bursaries for courses and training.

With Universal Credit, GOV.UK says you may get an extra amount for caring for someone who receives a disability-related benefit, whether or not you get Carer’s Allowance. If you are eligible for Carer’s Allowance and get Pension Credit, your Pension Credit payments will increase.

If you also receive State Pension, GOV.UK says you cannot receive the full amount of both. If your State Pension is £86.45 a week or more, you get no Carer’s Allowance payment. If it is less, you receive the difference. You also cannot build up extra State Pension during any period you get Carer’s Allowance. Our carers grants and breaks guide covers other support.

Effect on other benefits

Carer’s Allowance can change other benefits, for both you and the person you care for. GOV.UK says your total benefits will usually rise or stay the same, and that you will not be affected by the benefit cap.

For the person you care for

• They will usually stop getting the severe disability premium paid with their benefits.
• They will usually stop getting the extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit.
• They may stop getting reduced Council Tax, so they should check with their local council.

For you

• Universal Credit is reduced by the same amount as your Carer’s Allowance.
• For Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit, contact HMRC about your claim.
• Carer’s Allowance gives Class 1 National Insurance credits. Universal Credit gives Class 3 credits, which count only towards the State Pension.

Because carers allowance rates 2026/27 are only part of the picture and the effect on the person you care for can be real, a benefits adviser can check the full picture before you claim. Reporting changes promptly also helps avoid overpayments, and GOV.UK says DWP is reassessing overpayments made between 10 April 2015 and 2 September 2025.

Carers allowance rates 2026/27 in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Scotland: people there apply for Carer Support Payment from Social Security Scotland, not Carer’s Allowance. The Scottish Government’s 2026-27 up-rating publication gives £86.45 a week, matching the England rate, though it notes final figures may differ, so confirm with Social Security Scotland.

The Scottish Carer Supplement, which replaced the Carer’s Allowance Supplement in March 2026, is £11.70 a week for 2026/27 (mygov.scot gives £609 a year, paid as £11.70 weekly or £46.80 every 4 weeks) alongside Carer Support Payment. Eligible carers were awarded it automatically, and you do not need to apply. A small number of carers who stay on Carer’s Allowance still get the Carer’s Allowance Supplement twice a year. The supplement is taxable. The Carer Additional Person Payment, for carers looking after more than one person, is £10.40 a week per the Scottish Government up-rating publication.

Carers allowance rates 2026/27 do not follow you across the border. Moving between Scotland and England or Wales matters. GOV.UK says if you move to Scotland you must tell DWP and claim Carer Support Payment, and Carer’s Allowance stops 13 weeks after you move. If you move from Scotland to England or Wales, apply for Carer’s Allowance as soon as you move.

Wales: the same rate and rules apply as in England. Northern Ireland: Carers UK cites the same £86.45 rate, with claims going through the Disability and Carers Service, so check nidirect for local details.

This page is general information, not benefits advice. Carers allowance rates 2026/27 were checked in November 2026 and can change each April, so confirm with GOV.UK or a benefits adviser before relying on them.

Frequently asked questions

How much is Carer’s Allowance in 2026/27?

Carer’s Allowance is £86.45 a week in 2026/27 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. GOV.UK shows this rate, and Carers UK gives it as the rate from April 2026. You can be paid weekly in advance or every 4 weeks.

What is the Carer’s Allowance earnings limit?

GOV.UK states the limit as £204 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and allowable expenses. Carers UK gives this as the 2026/27 figure. If you earn more than the limit in a week, you lose Carer’s Allowance for that week.

Do I have to care for 35 hours a week?

Yes. GOV.UK says you must provide care for at least 35 hours a week. This can include help with washing, cooking, medical appointments, and tasks such as bills and shopping. You do not have to be related to or live with the person.

How old do I have to be to get Carer’s Allowance?

You must be 16 or over. You also cannot be in full-time education or study 21 hours or more a week. The person you care for must receive a qualifying benefit, such as Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment daily living.

Is Carer’s Allowance taxable?

GOV.UK says you must pay tax on Carer’s Allowance if your income is over the Personal Allowance. It is not taken off before payment, so you may need to tell HMRC. You also get National Insurance credits for each week you receive it.

Does Carer’s Allowance affect the benefits of the person I care for?

It can. GOV.UK says they will usually stop getting the severe disability premium and the extra amount for severe disability in Pension Credit. They may also lose reduced Council Tax. They should check with whoever pays their benefit.

What do carers get in Scotland instead?

In Scotland, carers apply for Carer Support Payment from Social Security Scotland. The Scottish Carer Supplement is £11.70 a week for 2026/27, paid alongside it, and eligible carers were awarded it automatically. You do not need to apply.

Official sources

• GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance
• GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance eligibility
• GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance, how it’s paid
• GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance, effect on other benefits
• GOV.UK: Carer’s Allowance, after you claim
• Carers UK: Carer’s Allowance
• mygov.scot: Scottish Carer Supplement
• Scottish Government: Social security assistance up-rating 2026-27

This page is general information, not legal, medical or financial advice. The Care Panel is an independent guide and is not part of any government body or care provider. Last checked 9 November 2026.

Related: Carer’s Allowance guide · Carer’s Allowance earnings limit · Carers Credit explained

See also: Carers Allowance Contact Number: Official DWP Phone Line

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.