Carer's Credits - Can I get Carer's Credits?

The main benefit for carers is Carer's Allowance, or Carer's Support Payment if you live in Scotland. For every week you are entitled to Carer's Allowance or Carer's Support Payment, you will get Class 1 national insurance credits. These credits help with gaps in your National Insurance record and will protect your future entitlement to State Pension. If you are entitled to Income Support or Universal Credit as a carer, then you should automatically be given Class 3 national insurance credits.

If you do not qualify for Carer's Allowance or Carer's Support Payment (and don't have an underlying entitlement to it because of the overlapping benefit rules) or Income Support as a carer, then you may be able to claim Carer's Credit.

To qualify for the credit, you must spend at least 20 hours a week caring for one or more people who are receiving a ‘qualifying benefit’, for example:

• Attendance Allowance
• Disability Living Allowance (the middle or highest rates of the care component)
• Personal Independence Payment (daily living component)
• Child Disability Payment (the middle or highest rates of the care component)
• Adult Disability Payment (daily living component)
• Armed Forces Independence Payment

If the person you care for isn’t receiving a qualifying benefit, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will consider whether the level of care you provide is appropriate for you to still get Carer's Credit. They will consider the level of care as appropriate if there is a signed certificate confirming this from a health or social care professional.

You continue to receive Carer's Credits for 12 weeks after caring ends or for breaks in caring of up to 12 weeks.

You do not need to be living with or related to the person you are caring for.

If you receive Carer’s Allowance, Carer's Support Payment, Income Support or Universal Credit as a carer, you will already be credited with national insurance contributions so will not need to rely on these rules. You also qualify during the 12 weeks before you become entitled to Carer’s Allowance or the 12 weeks after Carer’s Allowance ends.

This system of ‘credits’ replaces the old system of Home Responsibilities Protection, which was in force before 6 April 2010. Some years of Home Responsibilities Protection collected before it was abolished can be converted into credited contributions for those years.