Half-Rate Carer’s Allowance

If you are getting certain social welfare payments and you are providing full-time care and attention to another person, you can keep your main social welfare payment and get a half-rate Carer’s Allowance as well.

If you are in one of the following situations you may qualify for half-rate Carer’s Allowance:

• Already getting Carer’s Allowance but also meet the qualifying criteria for another social welfare payment

  If you are getting Carer’s Allowance and you also meet the qualifying conditions for another social welfare payment (for example, a State pension) you should apply for the other payment. If you qualify for the other payment you will be paid it in full and keep half your Carer’s Allowance payment as well. (For a list of social welfare payments paid with half-rate Carer’s Allowance – see ‘Rules’ below)

  If you are currently getting Carer’s Allowance and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is claiming another social welfare payment (for example, Jobseeker’s Allowance), your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant may claim an increase in their social welfare payment for you as a qualified adult and your Carer’s Allowance will be reduced by 50%. This can only be done with your consent but it may increase your total household income.

• Changed from another social welfare payment to get Carer’s Allowance

  If you were on another social welfare payment before claiming Carer’s Allowance, you may get your original payment reinstated and also get half-rate Carer’s Allowance, if you continue to meet the qualifying conditions for both schemes. (For a list of social welfare payments payable with half-rate Carer’s Allowance – see ‘Rules’ below)

• Caring for someone and being claimed for by a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant

  If your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is claiming for you as a qualified adult on their payment and you are providing full-time care to another person, you can apply for half-rate Carer’s Allowance and keep your current Increase for a Qualified Adult in full.

• Getting a social welfare payment other than Carer’s Allowance and caring for someone

  If you are getting one of the social welfare payments payable with half-rate Carer’s Allowance (see ‘Rules’ below) and caring for someone, you may keep your social welfare payment and qualify for half-rate Carer’s Allowance.

People parenting alone

People parenting alone, who meet the qualifying criteria for Carer’s Allowance, may qualify for both One-Parent Family Payment and half-rate Carer’s Allowance (CA). If your youngest child is aged between 7 and 15 inclusive you must qualify for Carer’s Allowance to continue to qualify for OFP. You will also get an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC) for any other children in the family until they reach 18 (or 22 if in full-time education) while CA and OFP is in payment. (See our document on One-Parent Family Payment for more information on other exceptions to the age limits.)

Rules

You must meet the qualifying criteria for Carer’s Allowance. For example, the person you are caring for must be so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention and you must satisfy a means test. There is more information in our document about Carer’s Allowance.

If you satisfy the conditions for Carer’s Allowance it will be awarded at 50% of the rate that would apply if you were not getting any other payment. You will also be eligible for the Carer’s Support Grant and a Free Travel Pass. You may also be eligible for the Household Benefits Package.

You can get half-rate Carer’s Allowance with the following weekly social welfare payments:

• State Pension (Contributory) and State Pension (Contributory) Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Deserted Wife’s Benefit
• Invalidity Pension and Invalidity Pension Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Jobseeker’s Benefit Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Jobseeker’s Allowance Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Illness Benefit and Illness Benefit Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Contributory) Pension
• Injury Benefit and Injury Benefit Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Death Benefit
• Health and Safety Benefit
• Partial Capacity Benefit
• Maternity Benefit
• Adoptive Benefit
• State Pension (Non-Contributory) and State Pension (Non-Contributory) Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Blind Pension and Blind Pension Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Widow’s, Widower’s or Surviving Civil Partner’s (Non-Contributory) Pension
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Pre-Retirement Allowance and Pre-Retirement Allowance Increase for a Qualified Adult Allowance
• Disability Allowance and Disability Allowance Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Incapacity Supplement and Incapacity Supplement Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Farm Assist and Farm Assist Increase for a Qualified Adult

You cannot get half-rate Carer’s Allowance with the following social welfare payments:

• Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) and SWA Increase for a Qualified Adult
• Jobseeker’s Benefit
• Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Jobseeker’s Transitional payment
• Working Family Payment (formerly known as Family Income Supplement)
• Back to Work Allowance
• Back to Education
• Carer’s Benefit

You cannot get Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) or Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) and half-rate Carer’s Allowance because you must be actively seeking employment and be available to take up employment to qualify for JA and JB. However, you may qualify for half-rate Carer’s Allowance if your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is getting JA or JB and claiming for you as a qualified adult.