Looking after someone 2017, Northern Ireland | Page 23

Carer’s Credit
Carer’s Credit it a way of protecting your State Pension rights
if you are looking after someone but are not paying National
Insurance contributions through paid work and are unable to
claim Carer’s Allowance.
You do not get paid any money if
you claim Carer’s Credit, but you get
a National Insurance contribution
credit to help protect your record
(which helps to protect your
entitlement to a State Pension).
If you already get Carer’s Allowance
then you do not need to claim
Carer’s Credit as your record is
already protected.
To claim Carer’s Credit you need
to be looking after someone for a
total of 20 hours or more a week.
The person you are looking after
must normally be getting one of
the following:
• the middle or the higher rate of
the care component of Disability
Living Allowance (DLA)
• either rate of the daily living
component of Personal
Independence Payment (PIP)
• either rate of Attendance
Allowance
• Constant Attendance Allowance

However, if the person you are
looking after for doesn’t get one
of these benefits, you may still be
able to get Carer’s Credit. When you
apply, fill in the Care Certificate part
of the application form and get a
health or social care professional to
sign it.
Carer’s Credit can also help with
breaks in your caring role. You can
claim Carer’s Credit for any week
within 12 weeks before the date
you become entitled to Carer’s
Allowance or following the week
you stop being entitled to Carer’s
Allowance. This is without meeting
the 20 hour condition. This means
you could have a break in caring for
up to 12 weeks without losing your
National Insurance contribution
credit.
Find out more at
carersuk.org/carerscredit

• Armed Forces Independence
Payment (AFIP)

Looking after someone

carersni.org

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