Did you know that you will only get the full basic state pension if you have paid a certain amount of national insurance contributions? If you are not working or have a very low income because you are caring for someone, you could be losing out – unless you are claiming Carer’s Credit.

Carer’s Credit isn’t a payment – it’s a way of building up qualifying years for your state pension while you are not paying national insurance contributions through work.

Eligibility

To get Carer’s Credit you must be:

• aged 16 or over
• under State Pension age
• looking after one or more people for at least 20 hours a week

The person you’re looking after must get:

• Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or high rate OR
• Personal Independence Payment – daily living component, at the standard or enhanced rate

If the person you care for doesn’t get any of these benefits, you may still be able to get Carer’s Credit by filling in the “Care Certificate” part of the claim form and getting a health or social care professional to sign it. You may qualify for Carer’s Credit even if you don’t qualify for Carer’s Allowance.

You DON’T need to apply for Carer’s Credit if you:

• get Carer’s Allowance – you’ll automatically get credits
• get Child Benefit for a child under the age of 12 – you’ll automatically get credits
• are a foster carer – you can apply for National Insurance credits instead

How to claim

Download the Carer’s Credit claim form, or contact the Carer’s Allowance Unit:

Telephone: 0345 608 4321
Textphone: 0345 604 5312