State pension: Unpaid carers may be able to claim Carer’s Credit to boost entitlement | Personal Finance | Finance
Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit, to allow a person who cares for a friend or loved one to do so without it affecting their state pension entitlement. An individual’s income, savings or investments will not affect their eligibility for the Government scheme.
The credit can still be claimed even if a person has breaks from caring, of up to 12 weeks in a row.
This can include taking a short holiday, going into hospital, or if a dependant of the claimant goes into hospital.
Claimants must update the Carer’s Allowance Unit if they have a break of more than 12 weeks a row.
To be eligible, a person must be 16 or over, under state pension age and caring for one or more people for at least 20 hours a week.
READ MORE: PIP: All the freebies you can claim from the DWP to save thousands of pounds in June
The person being cared for must receive one of these benefits:
- Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or highest rate
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment daily living part
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Child Disability Payment (CDP) care component at the middle or highest rate
DONT MISS:
This has to be requested within one month of the date of the decision.
Parents who face a gap in their National Insurance record due to raising children may be able to get National Insurance credits via Child Benefit.
However, people who waive Child Benefit should be aware that they will need to opt to receive the credits, if they wish to get them.
They can do this by selecting the option to waive the income, but still get the credits, on the CH2 form.
