Getting support as a carer

Recognising your role as a carer may mean you can get support, claim benefits and access services that can help you care for yourself and the person you support.

Some people don’t like to be called a carer. This is because they don’t feel it sums up their relationship with the person with Parkinson’s and the support they’re giving them.

You might not think of yourself as a ‘carer’, either, when you’re supporting someone close with their Parkinson’s as their partner, family member or friend.

But recognising your role as a carer may mean you can claim benefits, get support and access services that can help you care for yourself and the person you support. This page shows the financial and other support available to you.

How can I get support?

Your local council will arrange and provide support services. This is usually through its social services department, or your local health and social care trust in Northern Ireland.

The services are not just for older people in need or those with disabilities. They’re also for carers.

The person you support can get an assessment to find out what services they need. And if you regularly support someone, you also have a right to an assessment to see what help you might need, too. This is known as a carer’s assessment. It doesn’t cost anything to be assessed.

Carer’s assessment

A carer’s assessment can help you to get the support or services you need in your caring role. In Scotland, they’re called an adult carer support plan. In Wales, they’re called a carer’s needs assessment.

It will assess the impact that supporting someone with Parkinson’s may have on your own life. It will also take into account any physical, emotional or psychological needs you might have.

Read information about carer's assessments on the Carers UK website.

Benefits and financial support for carers

If you’re supporting someone with Parkinson’s, you might be worried about how you’ll manage financially. Whether you’re of pension age or still working, you may want help with day-to-day needs for you both. This can lead to extra costs.

There’s some financial support available if you’re supporting someone with Parkinson’s. This includes benefits, allowances or grants.

So it’s important to find out what benefits and other financial assistance you’re both entitled to. This can be for you as a carer, and to meet the care needs of the person with Parkinson’s you support.

Some things to think about include:

  • As a carer, you may be able to get means-tested benefits, or increases in means-tested benefits, depending on your situation. These include Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Housing Benefit.
  • Carers and people with disabilities may be able to pay less Council Tax.
  • In some cases, Carer’s Allowance can reduce the benefit the person you look after gets. So it’s a good idea to check before claiming it.
  • Even if Carer’s Allowance isn’t paid to you, claiming it can sometimes help you get other benefits, or increases of other benefits.
  • There are different benefits for carers in Scotland.

Carer’s Allowance

Carer’s Allowance is for people who regularly spend 35 hours a week or more caring for someone who gets a ‘qualifying benefit’. These are:

  • Attendance Allowance

  • Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component

  • Adult Disability Payment (ADP) daily living component (Scotland only)

  • Disability Living Allowance care component (at either the middle or highest rate).

You don’t have to be related to the person you’re caring for or be living with them.

Read our information about Carer's Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement

If you live in Scotland and receive Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment, you get a Carer’s Allowance Supplement. This is paid every 6 months in June and December.

You will be paid Carer’s Allowance Supplement automatically. You won’t need to apply for it.

Carer's Credit

This protects the State Pension rights of people who aren’t able to pay National Insurance contributions, aren’t entitled to Carer’s Allowance, and are looking after a disabled or ill person.

Find more information on Carer's Credit on the GOV.UK website.

What benefits can the person I support claim?

There are a range of benefits that the person with Parkinson’s may be able to claim, depending on their circumstances.

Attendance Allowance

People who have reached State Pension age, have a disability or illness and need help with personal care or safety may be able to claim Attendance Allowance. It’s based on what help the person you support needs, not the help they’re actually getting.

It can be paid in addition to most other social security benefits. It can sometimes increase the amount of any means-tested benefits they get. Attendance Allowance is paid to the person who needs care or supervision, not to a carer. 

Read our information on Attendance Allowance.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP)

This is for people who start their claim when under pension age and who may need extra help with day-to-day activities or have trouble getting around due to their health or disability. It's called PIP in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and ADP in Scotland. New claims in Scotland are now being transferred to ADP.

PIP and ADP are not taxable or based on National Insurance contributions. They can be paid in addition to most other social security benefits. They can also sometimes help you get, or get an increased amount of, means-tested benefits.

Read our information on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Adult Disability Payment (ADP).

Help paying Council Tax

You may be able to get help with paying Council Tax. This means that you, or the person you support, may be able to get help with your Council Tax through a Council Tax discount, the Disability Reduction scheme, or through a Council Tax Support scheme managed by your local authority.

Grants, loans and other support

There are various grants, loans and schemes to help you and the person you’re supporting. These can help with certain one-off or occasional expenses, or help if you’re in financial need. These include:

  • grants and loans to help with certain one-off or occasional expenses
  • help towards some health costs that you might otherwise pay for
  • help getting around including the Blue Badge parking scheme and travel schemes
  • Parkinson's UK Personal Grants.

Read more about grants, loans and other support.

Other support available to you

There's lots of other support to help you with your caring responsibilities. 

Respite care

Supporting or caring for someone with Parkinson's can mean little time for yourself. Taking a short break from your supporting role can be beneficial. Read our information on respite care.

Local groups and support near you

Find a local group to meet others with similar experiences or find support close to you. Search using our local support finder.

Looking after yourself

Thinking about yourself may be the last thing on your mind. But it’s important to look after your own health and mental wellbeing too. Read our information on looking after yourself as a carer.

Our helpline and other useful contacts

Our helpline

Call our helpline on 0808 800 0303 to find out more about the support you both may be able to get. Our expert benefits and employment advisers can help with benefit claims or challenging any decisions about benefits.

Other useful contacts

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