There are several changes in circumstances that people receiving Carer’s Allowance must tell the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) about or risk losing their benefit entitlement. These changes include starting a job, entering or leaving full-time education, or an increase in your income.
However, many unpaid carers may be unaware that going abroad on holiday for a period of more than four weeks during a six-month period, may affect your benefit entitlement. This means that if you are planning more than one foreign getaway this year you will need to make sure the dates fall within the guidance on GOV.UK.
The guidance states: “You can carry on claiming Carer’s Allowance if you take up to four weeks holiday out of a 26-week period. Tell the office that deals with your benefit that you’ll be away.”
However, additional advice on the Independent Age website also says that if you’re going abroad temporarily with the person you care for and they receive certain benefits including Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Attendance Allowance, the duration can be extended.
It also advises that if you move to a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland, you may be able to keep receiving payments or make a new claim - find out more on GOV.UK here.
The latest figures from the DWP show that in May 2022 there were 936,766 people receiving weekly payments of £69.70 for Carer’s Allowance across Great Britain, including 81,682 living in Scotland.
Payments are set to rise by 10.1 per cent in April as part of the annual uprating exercise. This means that people claiming Carer’s Allowance will receive a new weekly payment of £76.75 and as the benefit is paid every four weeks, this amounts to £307.00 - an increase of £28.20 from the current rate of £278.80.
Unpaid carers living in Scotland will also receive additional payments twice this year from the Scottish Government through the Carer’s Allowance Supplement. These are paid in June and December and worth £245.70.
To qualify for the next Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment in June, new claims need to be received by April 10, 2023.
Social Security Scotland automatically adds the Carer’s Allowance Supplement element to your claim made to the DwP - find out more here.
To keep up to date with the latest benefits news, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook page here, or subscribe to our newsletter which goes out four times each week - sign up here.
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