Every Pound Counts - Carers
Are you, or is someone you know caring for someone who has support needs? If so you may be missing out on claiming extra help.
Your Every Pound Counts adviser can help with claiming the full benefits entitlement both for the person you care for and maybe also for you.
Contact an Every Pound Counts adviser if you care for an older person, a child with a high level of supervision or care or someone experiencing a long term ill-health or a disability, and you think they may not be receiving the right amount of benefits or just want to discuss their benefits.
Carers Allowance
If you spend at least 35 hours per week caring for someone you may also be missing out on claiming benefits for yourself.
The main benefit for carers is called Carer's Allowance.
Carer's Allowance (CA) is a taxable benefit paid to people who spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a severely disabled person. It doesn’t matter whether you live with the person you care for or live somewhere else.
To qualify for CA you must be caring for someone who: gets Attendance Allowance (AA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) care component paid at the middle or highest rate or Constant Attendance Allowance (of £54.80 or more) paid with War Pensions or Industrial disablement benefits.
You must also:
- normally live in Great Britain
- not be in full time education
- earn no more than £95 per week.
Income Support
You may be entitled to claim Income Support. This is a benefit paid to people aged under 60 on low incomes who are unable to work because they are caring and they have savings of less than £16,000. If you are already receiving Income Support, claiming Carer's Allowance will increase your overall benefit income.
Housing benefit and Council Tax Benefit
If you are on a low income you may be entitled to claim Housing Benefit to help you pay your rent and/or Council Tax Benefit to help you pay your council tax. These benefits can be paid to people on low income and people with modest incomes who have made savings for their retirement. For more information on these benefits see:
Contact us now for free advice
The Council is offering full benefit checks for all carers living in Lambeth.
Talk to an experienced benefits adviser or make an appointment to receive face to face advice about DLA and other benefits you may be able to claim.
- By phone and textphone
Every Pound Counts can be contacted by phone and textphone on 020 7926 5555 Mondays - Fridays 9am - 5pm
- By email
For advice on tax credits, pensions, housing benefits and Council Tax and other benefits, you can email us at: everypoundcounts@lambeth.gov.uk.
When you email us please tell us as much as possible about your benefit query and where possible provide a contact number we can call you.
- In person
We are happy to arrange face-to-face appointments.