There are new rules to help carers who are missing out on National Insurance Contributions. You could benefit if you are in one of these situations:

• You care for 20 hours or more a week but miss out on Carer’s Allowance because you don’t care for 35 hours or more.
• You care for someone who can’t or refuses to claim disability benefits.
• Where there is more than one of you caring for a disabled or ill person and someone else is getting the Carer’s Allowance for that person.
• You look after several people but cannot claim Carer’s Allowance because you do not care for any one of them for 35 hours.
• You are still providing a lot of care for someone who has gone into hospital or a care home, but cannot get Carer’s Allowance because they don’t get disability benefits because they have been in hospital or a care home.

The Government has introduced a new Carer’s Credit to help carers in these situations. To claim it you need to be caring for one or more disabled person for a total of 20 hours or more a week where they get Attendance Allowance, Constant Attendance Allowance or the middle or highest rate of Disability Living Allowance care component; or you will need a medical or care professional to confirm that you are providing appropriate care for them.

If you think this might be you, you can contact the Carer’s Allowance Unit on 0845 608 4321 or Textphone on 0845 604 5312.