Finance and benefits for carers
It is not uncommon for carers to experience financial difficulties. Depending on circumstances, there are a number of benefits that carers and those they care for may be able to claim.
Both the Carers Trust and Carers UK have useful finance and benefits information on their websites.
Swansea Carers Centre can provide benefits advice to carers. You will need to make an appointment in advance.
Other organisations providing benefits advice in Swansea include, Age Cymru West Glamorgan, Citizens Advice Swansea / Neath Port Talbot and British Red Cross.
Carers allowance
Carer's Allowance (opens new window) may be paid to someone who cares for someone who receives a disability-related benefit for 35 hours or more per week. Carer's Allowance can have an impact on means tested benefits, so if the carer and / or the person cared for receives a means-tested benefit, it is recommended that, before submitting a claim, you seek advice to check that you or the person you are caring for would not be worse off.
Carers can now submit a claim for Carer's Allowance, or report a change of circumstances online, using the Carer's Allowance Digital Service (opens new window).
Some benefits of using the Digital Service to make a claim:
- It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- It has fewer questions than the paper version.
- It does not require a password or signature.
- The form does not need to be printed or saved.
- Once submitted, the claim arrives immediately at the Carers Unit, enabling claims to be processed more quickly.
- There are helpline numbers and help text if carers need to clarify questions.
- It is available in Welsh.
Carer's Credit
Carer's Credit (opens new window) is a National Insurance Credit. You don't get any payment, but it helps build your entitlement to State Pension. You can claim it if you are caring for one or more people for at least 20 hours a weeks.
If you are caring for somebody in your household (other than your partner or a child under the age of 18) then the person responsible for paying the Council Tax could be eligible for a discount.