How to apply for Carer's Allowance

Carer’s Allowance is the name of a benefit that some people who care for someone can get.

Carer’s Allowance is for people who do not get paid to care for the person.

This Easy Read tells you how to apply for Carer’s Allowance.

To see if you could get Carer’s Allowance, read our What is Carer’s Allowance? Easy Read page.

Before you apply for Carer’s Allowance, you will need to know: 

• your name, address and telephone number

• your date of birth

• your National Insurance number if you have one.

You can find your National Insurance number on any letters you have had about your tax, pensions or benefits.

• your bank or building society account number and sort code

  You can find your sort code and account number on:
  - your monthly bank statements
  - your online banking app
  - the front, or back of, most bank cards.

• your work details, and have your last payslip if you are working

• or, your P45 if you have stopped working

A P45 is a form you get from your employer when you stop working for them.

• the details of your course if you are a student

• how much money you pay for your pension

or,

• for care for your children

or,

• the person you care for when you are at work

• the name and address of the person you care for

• their date of birth

• their National Insurance number if they are 16 or over

• their Disability Living Allowance reference if they are under 16.

You can apply for Carer’s Allowance online, or by post.

find the Carer’s Allowance form on the government’s website ,

or

contact the Carer’s Allowance Unit to ask for a form by:

Phone: 0800 731 0297

Textphone:  0800 731 0317

Relay UK:  18001 then 0800 731 0297
Relay UK helps people who can not hear or speak on the phone. 

The unit is open Monday to Friday 8.00am – 6.00pm.

If you download the form from the government’s website, you can:

• print the form out and fill it in with a black pen

• fill in the form on your laptop or desktop computer and then print it out.

You cannot fill in the form on a mobile phone or tablet.

It is OK to ask someone who knows you well to help you fill in the form.

When you have filled in the form it is a good idea to take photos of it, or make a copy, so you can remember what you put in the form.

When you have filled in the form, send it off in the envelope that came with the form.

If you cannot find the envelope that came with the form, or if you downloaded the form from the government website, send it in an envelope to:

The Carer's Allowance Unit
Mail Handling Site A
Wolverhampton
WV98 2AB
 

If you need support or more information about Carer's Allowance contact the Learning Disability Helpline.