You've been awarded DLA for your child. Maybe middle rate care, maybe higher. You filled in the forms, gathered the evidence, waited the weeks. The money is coming in, and it helps.
But there's a second benefit that most SEND parents don't know about. It's called Carer's Allowance, and if you're providing regular care for your child, you may already be entitled to it.
What is Carer's Allowance?
Carer's Allowance is a weekly benefit paid to people who spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone with a disability. It's set out in Section 70 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.
For SEND parents, the connection is straightforward: if your child receives DLA middle or higher rate care component, and you provide at least 35 hours of care a week, you may qualify.
It's not a huge amount. But over a year, that's over £4,300. And for many families, it's money they didn't know they could get.
Who can claim?
You can claim Carer's Allowance if you meet all of these:
- You care for someone at least 35 hours a week (this doesn't have to be personal care - supervision, emotional support, and managing appointments all count)
- The person you care for gets a qualifying benefit (DLA middle or higher rate care, PIP daily living, or Attendance Allowance)
- You earn £196 or less per week after deductions (2025-26 rate, rising to £204 from April 2026)
- You're 16 or over
- You're not in full-time education (21+ supervised study hours per week)
- You've lived in England, Scotland, or Wales for 2 of the last 3 years
The 35-hour requirement is easier to meet than most parents think. When you add up everything you do for your child that a parent of a non-disabled child wouldn't need to do - helping with personal care, managing medication, supervising for safety, attending appointments, doing therapy exercises at home, managing meltdowns, supporting with communication - it adds up fast.
The earnings limit
This is where many working parents assume they can't claim. The earnings limit for 2025-26 is £196 per week (net, after tax and NI). From April 2026, it rises to £204.
But "earnings" doesn't mean your gross salary. Several deductions are allowed before the limit is applied:
- Income tax and National Insurance are deducted first
- Pension contributions (50% is deductible)
- Childcare costs (up to 50% of net earnings)
- Equipment needed for work that you pay for yourself
The earnings limit increase matters more than you might think.
If you're just over the earnings limit, check whether childcare deductions or pension contributions would bring you under. A £10/week pension increase could make the difference.
How it works with Universal Credit
If you're on Universal Credit, Carer's Allowance interacts in a specific way that confuses a lot of families.
The carer element. When you're entitled to Carer's Allowance (even if it's not actually paid), UC adds a carer element to your maximum entitlement. In 2025-26, that's £201.68 per month, rising to £209.34 from April 2026.
The overlap rule. Carer's Allowance is a "qualifying benefit" for UC purposes. If your UC payment already exceeds what you'd get from Carer's Allowance, the Carer's Allowance itself may be deducted pound-for-pound from your UC. But the carer element is still added.
In practice, this means: if you're on UC, claiming Carer's Allowance might not give you extra cash directly, but it triggers the carer element which increases your UC. And it gives you NI credits (see below).
You must tell the DWP about your child's DLA award if you're on Universal Credit. The DLA award can trigger both the disabled child addition and the carer element in UC. Many families miss this step and lose out.
The hidden benefit: NI credits
Even if you earn too much to receive Carer's Allowance, or if UC absorbs it, there's a benefit most people overlook: National Insurance credits.
Being entitled to Carer's Allowance gives you Class 1 NI credits for each week you're caring. These credits count towards your State Pension. If you've taken time out of work or reduced your hours to care for your child, these credits fill the gaps in your NI record.
You need 35 qualifying years of NI contributions for a full State Pension. Every year of caring counts. And you can claim Carer's Credit separately if you provide at least 20 hours of care per week but don't qualify for Carer's Allowance.
How to claim
Claiming is straightforward:
- Online at gov.uk/carers-allowance
- By phone on 0800 731 0297 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
- By post using form DS700
You'll need your child's DLA reference number, your National Insurance number, your bank details, and your employment information if you work.
The claim can be backdated up to 3 months if you were eligible during that time.
The overpayment trap
One serious warning. Carer's Allowance has an earnings limit, and if you go over it, the DWP can ask for the money back. This has caught thousands of families.
Between 2015 and 2025, over 212,000 overpayment cases were recorded. The average new overpayment is nearly £1,000. Outstanding debt across all cases reached £251.7 million in 2023-24.
The problem is that Carer's Allowance doesn't have a taper. You're either under the limit and entitled, or over the limit and not entitled. If your earnings fluctuate (overtime, bonuses, extra shifts), you can accidentally go over without realising.
If you work and claim Carer's Allowance, check your net weekly earnings every time they change. A single week over the limit can trigger an overpayment. Keep payslips as evidence.
Getting help
Carers UK has a free helpline (0808 808 7777) and an online benefits calculator that can tell you exactly what you're entitled to. They also campaign on the earnings limit and overpayment issues.
Citizens Advice can help you work out whether claiming Carer's Allowance would increase or decrease your overall income, especially if you're on UC.
Carers Direct (0300 123 1053) is an NHS helpline that covers carer benefits and practical support.
How our free tool can help
The AI assistant at SEND Parents Help can walk you through whether you're likely to be eligible, help you understand how Carer's Allowance interacts with your other benefits, and explain the NI credit rules for your specific situation.
Don't leave money on the table
If your child gets DLA middle or higher rate care, check whether you qualify. Even if you earn too much to receive the payment, the NI credits alone are worth claiming for.
It takes about 20 minutes to apply online. The backdating is limited to 3 months. And every week you delay is money your family won't get back.
Sources and further reading
Legislation and official guidance
- Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, section 70 (Carer's Allowance legal basis)
- Carer's Allowance: how to claim (official guidance and application)
- Carer's Credit (NI credits for carers who don't qualify for CA)
Statistics
- Carer's Allowance overpayments: NAO report (overpayment data and reform proposals)