Carer’ s Credit is a way of protecting state pension rights for people who are caring for someone but are not in paid work( or not earning enough to pay National Insurance Contributions) and are unable to claim carers’ allowance.

If you already get Carer’ s Allowance, or the underlying entitlement, you usually get National Insurance credits and contributions to your Additional State Pension so you don’ t need to apply for Carer’ s Credit.

Carer’ s Credit isn’ t a physical payment to you, it’ s a National Insurance credit which helps build up your entitlement to the State Pension and makes sure there are no gaps in your National Insurance record.

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 support must get one of the following:

»»

Disability Living Allowance, the middle or higher care rate

If the person you’ re caring for doesn’ t get one of these benefits, you may still be able to get Carer’ s Credit. You will need to provide a‘ Care Certificate’ signed by a health or social care professional to confirm that you are providing appropriate care for them.

How to claim To claim Carer’ s Credit you need to apply to the Carer’ s Allowance Unit of the Department for Work and Pensions. Visit www. gov. uk or call the Carer’ s Allowance Unit on 0845 6084321.

For more information about carers’ benefits visit www. gov. uk / browse / benefits alternatively you could contact your local council’ s benefits team.

Eastbourne Borough Council Online www. eastbourne. gov. uk Email housingbenefits @ eastbourne. gov. uk Call 0845 300 6715 Write to Housing Benefits Team Eastbourne Borough Council 1 Grove Road Eastbourne, BN21 4TW

Hastings Borough Council Online www. hastings. gov. uk Email benefits @ hastings. gov. uk Call 01424 451066 Write to Hastings Borough Council Hastings Town Hall Queens Road Hastings, TN34 1QR

Lewes District Council Online www. lewes. gov. uk Email benefit @ lewes. gov. uk Call 01273 471600 Write to Lewes District Council 4 Fisher Street Lewes BN7 2DQ

4 Care for the Carers