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Carer's Allowance & Attendance Allowance calculator
Two payments, one household, and they depend on each other. This checks both in about two minutes — and tells you about the trap where claiming one can quietly reduce the other.
No sign-up, nothing stored, nothing sent anywhere. Every figure was checked against GOV.UK on 2026-09-08.
The short version
- Attendance Allowance is for the person being cared for, once they have reached State Pension age. It is £76.70 or £114.60 a week and it is not means-tested — savings and income are irrelevant.
- Carer's Allowance is for you, at £86.45 a week, if you care at least 35 hours a week and earn no more than £204.00 a week after deductions.
- You usually cannot get the second without the first. That is why the checker starts with them, not you.
- A carer's assessment from your council is separate, free, and yours by right regardless of any of the above.
Scotland runs its own versions of both payments, so this changes the answer.
Part 1 — the person you care for
Start here even if you only came for Carer's Allowance. Your claim usually depends on theirs succeeding first.
Attendance Allowance — for them
Looks likelyThey look likely to qualify — around £76.70 a week.
That is about £3,988 a year at £76.70 a week.
- Attendance Allowance is not means-tested. Savings, income and a pension make no difference to whether it is paid.
- Needing frequent help in the day, or supervision at night, points to the lower rate, £76.70 a week.
Before you act on this
- The decision rests on how much help someone needs, not on their diagnosis. Describe the hardest days honestly rather than the best ones — people routinely undersell how much they need.
Part 2 — you, the carer
Count everything: shopping, cooking, laundry, appointments, sorting medication, phone calls, and time on call in case something happens. Most people badly undercount.
Take-home, not gross. Leave blank if you are not sure — some costs come off before this figure is worked out.
Carer's Allowance — for you
Worth checkingYou look likely to qualify — £86.45 a week.
That is about £4,495 a year at £86.45 a week.
- Carer's Allowance is £86.45 a week for someone caring at least 35 hours.
- It is taxable, and it is not means-tested against your savings — only against your earnings.
Before you act on this
- Before you claim, check what it does to THEM. When you are paid Carer's Allowance, the person you care for usually stops getting the severe disability premium, or the extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit. For some households that loss is bigger than the gain, so the sums are worth doing together rather than separately.
- Some answers were left blank, so treat this as a steer rather than a result.
Between you, that is around £8,484 a year
£163.15a week across both payments, if both claims succeed. Read the notes above first — claiming Carer's Allowance can reduce what they receive, so the two claims are worth doing as one decision rather than two.
Whatever the answer, ask for a carer's assessment
It is free, it is separate from any benefit, and you are entitled to one from your council whether or not the person you care for gets anything. It can lead to practical help — respite, equipment, help at home — and none of the rules on this page apply to it.
How to ask for a carer's assessmentThis is a guide, not a benefits decision, and it does not cover every situation — Universal Credit, Pension Credit, immigration status and living abroad all change the picture. Figures were checked against GOV.UK on 2026-09-08 and the weekly rate for Carer's Allowance was £86.45. Rates usually change each April. For advice on your own circumstances, speak to Citizens Advice or Carers UK.
The other half of the load
Money is one weight. The other is being the only person who knows which tablets were taken, when the next appointment is, and what the nurse said on Tuesday. That is the part CareCircle exists to share out — so a break is actually possible, because someone else can step in and see what you see.
Start a care circleQuestions people actually ask
- How much is Carer's Allowance?
- Carer's Allowance is £86.45 a week, which is about £4,495 a year. You have to be caring for at least 35 hours a week and earning no more than £204.00 a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses. It is taxable, and it is not means-tested against savings. Figures checked against GOV.UK on 2026-09-08.
- Can I claim Carer's Allowance for looking after my mother?
- Yes, if you care for her at least 35 hours a week, earn no more than £204.00 a week after deductions, are 16 or over and are not in full-time education. The condition most people fall down on is the other one: she must already receive a qualifying benefit such as Attendance Allowance, PIP daily living, or DLA at the middle or highest care rate. You do not have to live with her or be related to her.
- What is the Carer's Allowance earnings limit?
- £204.00 a week after tax, National Insurance and allowable expenses — not your gross pay. It is a cliff edge rather than a taper, so a single pound over the limit means nothing is paid at all. Certain pension contributions and some care costs that let you go to work can be deducted before the figure is worked out, so it is worth calculating properly if you are close to the line.
- How much is Attendance Allowance?
- There are two rates: £76.70 a week for frequent help or supervision during the day, or supervision at night; and £114.60 a week for help or supervision both day and night, or if a medical professional has said someone is nearing the end of life. It is paid to the person who needs the care, not to their carer.
- Is Attendance Allowance means-tested?
- No. Savings, income and a private pension make no difference to whether Attendance Allowance is paid. This is the single most common reason it goes unclaimed — families assume a house or some savings rules it out, and it does not.
- Will claiming Carer's Allowance affect my mother's benefits?
- It can, and this catches people out. When Carer's Allowance is paid, the person being cared for usually stops getting the severe disability premium, or the extra amount for severe disability paid with Pension Credit. For some households the loss is larger than the gain. Work out both sides together before either of you claims.
- Can I get Carer's Allowance if I get the State Pension?
- Not usually in full. Carer's Allowance and the State Pension are overlapping benefits, so they are not normally paid on top of one another. It can still be worth claiming, because an 'underlying entitlement' to Carer's Allowance can increase other benefits such as Pension Credit — but do not budget for the full weekly amount without checking.
- Does Carer's Allowance work differently in Scotland?
- Yes. In Scotland, Carer's Allowance has been replaced by Carer Support Payment, and Attendance Allowance has been replaced by Pension Age Disability Payment. Both are run by Social Security Scotland. The underlying idea is the same, but you apply in a different place.
- How many hours a week counts as caring?
- At least 35 hours a week for Carer's Allowance. Most people undercount badly, because they only count hands-on care. Shopping, cooking, laundry, sorting medication, booking and attending appointments, dealing with the council or the GP, and time spent on call in case something happens all count. Write down a real week before you decide you do not qualify.