If you look after someone regularly, a parent, a partner, a friend, you may be entitled to more help than you realise. In 2026/27 that can include Carer's Allowance of £86.45 a week, Attendance Allowance of up to £114.60 a week for the person you care for, National Insurance credits, Council Tax reductions, a free flu jab and a growing set of carer discount schemes.
Most family carers never use the word "carer" about themselves, you are just a daughter, a husband, a neighbour doing what needs doing. That is exactly why so much of this support goes unclaimed. This guide walks through the main benefits, the discounts, and the one well-known trap to check before you claim anything.
What is Carer's Allowance and who can claim it?
Carer's Allowance is the main benefit for carers themselves: £86.45 a week in 2026/27. Broadly, you may be able to claim if you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit (such as Attendance Allowance or PIP), and you earn £204 a week or less after certain deductions. You do not have to live with the person, and you do not have to be related to them.
Two things surprise people. First, "caring" counts widely, help with washing and dressing, cooking, medication, shopping and keeping someone safe all count towards the 35 hours. Second, it is taxable, and claiming it can affect other benefits in both directions. The full rules and the claim itself are at gov.uk/carers-allowance.
The trap to check before claiming Carer's Allowance
Here is the catch that catches families constantly: claiming Carer's Allowance can reduce or stop some benefits paid to the person you care for, in particular a Severe Disability Premium or parts of their Pension Credit. Sometimes the household ends up better off overall; sometimes it ends up worse.
Do not work this out by guesswork or forums. Before claiming, get a free benefits check covering both of you, Carers UK and Citizens Advice do exactly this, and it typically takes one conversation.
What can the person you care for claim?
Attendance Allowance is the big one for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care or supervision: £76.70 or £114.60 a week in 2026/27, and, the part families disbelieve, it is not means-tested. Savings, income and owning a home make no difference, and it is worth checking even if you assume you would not qualify. Details at gov.uk/attendance-allowance. The form is long and puts many people off; Aims' funding support service sits with Surrey families and completes it with them.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) covers people under State Pension age with a long-term condition or disability. Pension Credit tops up a lower income over State Pension age and opens the door to other help, and an Attendance Allowance award can increase entitlement to it. Each is on gov.uk, and the same benefits check covers all of them.
What if caring means you cannot pay National Insurance?
Caring often shrinks working hours, and with them the National Insurance record your State Pension depends on. Two protections exist. Carer's Allowance normally comes with Class 1 NI credits automatically. If you care 20 or more hours a week but do not get Carer's Allowance, you can apply separately for Carer's Credit, little known, quick to apply for, and it exists precisely so caring does not cost you pension later. See gov.uk/carers-credit.
Can carers get a Council Tax reduction?
Sometimes, and it is one of the most overlooked areas. Council Tax has a system of "disregards", people who do not count when the bill is worked out. A live-in carer can be disregarded in some circumstances, and a person diagnosed as severely mentally impaired (which can include some people living with dementia) may be disregarded entirely, in some households that means a discount of 25% or more, and it can sometimes be backdated.
The rules are detailed and depend on who lives in the home and which benefits are in place, so ask two places: your district or borough council directly, and Carers UK's guidance. It costs nothing to ask, and the backdating alone can be significant.
What discounts exist for carers?
A practical, growing list, worth ten minutes to set up.
Carer discount schemes. Dedicated schemes offer carers reduced prices across shopping, insurance, days out and more, Carers UK membership includes discounts, and carer-specific discount sites cover both paid care workers and unpaid family carers. Terms differ, so check who each scheme covers before signing up.
The cinema companion card. The CEA Card lets a person with a disability bring the person accompanying them to the cinema free, for a small administration fee, many families have no idea it exists.
Attractions and venues. Many attractions, theatres and National Trust-style venues admit a carer or companion free or at a reduced rate with the person they support. It is rarely advertised on the price board, ask at booking.
A free flu jab. Unpaid carers are on the NHS free flu vaccination list, because if you go down, the whole arrangement goes down. Ask at the GP surgery or any pharmacy offering NHS vaccinations.
A carer's assessment. Not a discount, but the gateway to practical council support in its own right: every carer is entitled to a free carer's assessment from Surrey County Council, separate from any assessment of the person you care for, which can lead to respite, equipment or direct support for you.
What about a proper break?
Respite is support, not surrender, and it is what keeps caring sustainable. A carer's assessment can unlock council-funded breaks, and respite care can be arranged privately from a few hours a week to full holiday cover, many Surrey families use a regular weekly visit as a standing break. If cost is the worry, our guide to home care prices shows the real numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How much is Carer's Allowance in 2026?
£86.45 a week for 2026/27, for people caring at least 35 hours a week for someone on a qualifying disability benefit, with earnings of £204 a week or less after certain deductions. It is taxable, and it can affect the cared-for person's benefits, get a benefits check first.
Is Attendance Allowance means-tested?
No. Attendance Allowance ignores savings, income and property entirely, it is based on the help someone needs, not their finances. In 2026/27 it pays £76.70 or £114.60 a week for people over State Pension age, and claiming it can also increase Pension Credit entitlement.
Can claiming Carer's Allowance reduce the other person's benefits?
Yes, in some situations, it can reduce or stop a Severe Disability Premium or parts of Pension Credit paid to the person you care for. Sometimes the household still gains, sometimes not. A free benefits check from Carers UK or Citizens Advice settles it before you claim.
Do carers get a Council Tax discount?
Some do. Council Tax "disregards" can apply to certain live-in carers and to people assessed as severely mentally impaired, which in some households produces a discount of 25% or more, sometimes backdated. Ask your borough council, the rules depend on your household's circumstances.
What is Carer's Credit?
A National Insurance credit for people caring 20 or more hours a week who do not get Carer's Allowance. It fills gaps in your NI record so that caring does not reduce your State Pension later. It is quick to apply for at gov.uk and is one of the least-claimed protections carers have.
Do unpaid carers get a free flu jab?
Yes, unpaid carers are included in the NHS free flu vaccination programme. Ask at the GP surgery or a pharmacy that offers NHS flu jabs. It exists because the person you care for depends on you staying well.
If arranging some paid support would make caring more sustainable, a weekly break, help with mornings, or cover for a holiday, we are happy to talk it through, and to help with the Attendance Allowance paperwork while we are at it. A free assessment, no obligation: 01372 386222, or contact us online.
This article is general information, not financial or benefits advice. Entitlements depend on individual circumstances and figures change each April, check gov.uk for current rates, and get a free benefits check from Carers UK or Citizens Advice before making claims or decisions.
Last reviewed: 4 August 2026. Written by Sharon Draper, Aims Group Manager, Aims Homecare. Reviewed by Shazad Hashmi, Nominated Individual, BA (Hons). Next review: April 2027 (benefit rates change at the start of each financial year).