Carers Allowance and Financial Support
You may be able to get help to increase your income if you are regularly caring for someone for at least 35 hours a week and are not in full-time education.
Your entitlement is worked out by assessing the type of income you have, and if you work, how much you earn. You will not be able to receive Carers Allowance if you receive your state pension (or other earnings replacement benefits) if it is higher than the weekly amount of carers allowance, but you may still get extra money in pension credit, housing benefit or council tax support.
Claiming Carers Allowance can affect the person you care for if they are in receipt of income related benefits. If you're not sure if you can claim Carers Allowance, or how claiming will affect you or the person you care for, you can get help from an advice service in Rotherham.
- About Us - Citizens Advice Rotherham
- Home (kpadvice.org.uk)
- Welcome to Age UK Rotherham
- If you have been refused a benefit
Carers Credit
You could get Carers Credit if you are caring for someone for at least 20 hours a week. Carers Credit fills in gaps in your national insurance record if you have to stop work to care for someone, and so protects your state pension contributions. This can be helpful if you are not entitled to Carers Allowance.
Income Top up: Universal Credit or Pension Credit
You may be entitled to income related benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit or help with housing costs and council tax, depending on the amount of your income and savings. You can check your entitlement using on-line benefit calculators:
- Benefits calculators - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Financial support - Carers UK
- A guide to Housing Benefit
- Get help to pay your Council Tax
Some adults are not counted for Council Tax. You could get a reduction on your bill if you or anyone living with you are exempt:
See if you could pay less Council Tax – Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Extra Help from Energy Suppliers' Priority Services Register or Customer Care Register
Help heating your home including the Cold weather payment, the Warm Home Discount Scheme and the Winter fuel payment.
- Warm Home Discount Scheme: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Winter Fuel Payment: Overview - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Cold Weather Payment: When you’ll get paid - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Priority Services
You can apply to be added to your electricity network’s priority support register to get priority support for electricity and gas.
For example, your suppliers might agree to:
- move your prepayment meter if you struggle to get to it
- make your call a priority when you contact them
- send someone to check your meter regularly
- send you bills in large print or braille, or to another person - for example, a family member or carer
- arrange for their engineers to tell you a password or show you a picture ID card if they need to visit or contact you - so you can check they’re genuine
- help reconnect your gas supply, if you need it
You’ll also get advance notice of planned power cuts - for example, if they’re doing engineering work. If you have a power cut you can get extra support - for example, someone could be sent to check or you could get hot meals provided.
Blue Badge
The Blue Badge (Disabled Persons) Parking Scheme is a national scheme that allows disabled people in England to maintain their independence by enabling them to park as close as possible to their destination.