How to Apply for Carers Element of Universal Credit: Eligibility, Payment and Backdating

The carers element of Universal Credit does not require a separate application. Reporting your caring responsibilities through an existing or new Universal Credit claim is how you apply for the carers element.

For the 2026 to 2027 benefit year, the carers element is worth £209.34 a month for those who qualify.

Key Takeaways

• The carers element of Universal Credit is worth £209.34 a month in 2026 to 2027 and is paid on top of the standard allowance.
• The carers element is not added automatically. DWP requires caring responsibilities to be reported through the Universal Credit journal.
• Receiving the carers element can exempt a household from the benefit cap, a protection that many carers may not realise applies to them.

How to Apply for the Carers Element of Universal Credit?

There is no separate claim form for the carers element. Caring responsibilities are reported through an existing Universal Credit account or declared when making a new claim, with the carers element added once the details are confirmed.

If Universal Credit Is Already Being Claimed

1. Sign in to the Universal Credit online account.
2. Open the journal and report a change of circumstances.
3. State how many hours of care you provide each week, along with the name, date of birth, and National Insurance number of the person cared for.
4. Confirm the qualifying disability benefit that person receives.

If Not Yet Claiming Universal Credit

1. Apply for Universal Credit online and create an account within 28 days of starting the claim.
2. Declare caring responsibilities as part of that application.
3. Provide bank details, an email address, and identity documents to complete the claim.

The first Universal Credit payment usually takes around five weeks to arrive. If you are new to Universal Credit and need money before your first payment, you may be able to apply for an advance payment while your claim is being processed.

Why the Payment Isn’t Added Automatically?

DWP does not add the carers element automatically, even when a claimant already receives Carer’s Allowance. Universal Credit records Carer’s Allowance as income, but receiving it does not by itself tell DWP that you provide at least 35 hours of care each week for a particular person.

Reporting caring responsibilities directly is what starts the assessment. This distinction matters if you are considering reporting your caring responsibilities without claiming Carer’s Allowance.

Once the carers element is added, the claimant is placed in the carer conditionality group, meaning no requirement to search for work while caring continues.

This applies whether or not Carer’s Allowance is also in payment, since the two are assessed separately for this purpose. If caring responsibilities are not reported, the claimant may still have full work-search requirements, regardless of how many hours they spend caring.

If the person you care for is admitted to hospital for an extended stay and your caring hours fall below 35 a week, this should also be reported through the journal.

If you have reported your caring responsibilities but they do not appear on your next statement, contact DWP to check that the change has been processed rather than assuming the claim has been refused.

Who Qualifies for the Carers Element?

You must meet two conditions to qualify – caring for at least 35 hours a week, and caring for someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit.

The person cared for must receive one of the following:

• Attendance Allowance
• The daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• The middle or highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
• Adult Disability Payment, the Scottish replacement for PIP
• Armed Forces Independence Payment
• Constant Attendance Allowance paid alongside Industrial Injuries Benefit or a War Disablement Pension

Living with the person cared for is not a requirement, and claiming Carer’s Allowance first is not a condition of getting the carers element either.

Only one person can receive the carers element for the same disabled person at a time, so where several people share the caring role, they need to agree who will claim it.

The carers element can also affect the benefits received by the person being cared for. If that person still receives a severe disability premium through a legacy benefit, they may lose it once the carers element is granted.

Parents of a disabled child may already receive extra support through Universal Credit’s disabled child element. Checking what other support may be available when your child gets DLA can help you understand what already applies before reporting your caring responsibilities separately.

How Much You Could Get?

According to GOV.UK, the carers element is worth £209.34 a month in 2026 to 2027, compared with £201.68 a month in 2025 to 2026.

These figures are based on GOV.UK’s Universal Credit guidance. The amount is paid on top of the standard allowance rather than replacing any part of it.

Couples caring for the same disabled person can receive only one carers element between them. In a joint claim carer’s element, two separate carers elements can be included where each partner cares for a different disabled person and both meet the 35 hour rule.

The carers element cannot usually be paid alongside the limited capability for work and work related activity element. Where a claimant qualifies for both, Universal Credit awards only the higher of the two rather than adding them together.

Parents supporting a disabled child may assume that the disabled child element already covers their caring responsibilities, but it does not. A dedicated guide on my child gets DLA what else am I entitled to sets out how the two forms of support fit together in more depth.

Backdating a Late Claim

The carers element can be backdated in certain circumstances, but this is not automatic. A written explanation for the delay is usually needed alongside the change of circumstances report.

Backdating may be granted where:

• The disability benefit the cared for person receives was itself awarded or backdated to an earlier date.
• Reporting was delayed by a documented health condition or hospital stay.
• Incorrect advice from DWP or a jobcentre caused the delay.
• A claimant was never told they needed to report a change despite meeting the caring conditions throughout.

When considering backdating, DWP looks at when the caring responsibilities actually began rather than simply using the date the wider Universal Credit claim started.

Anyone waiting on a backdated decision and short of money in the meantime can review Universal Credit advance payment reasons to see whether a short term advance fits their situation while the claim is reviewed.

Carer’s Allowance and the Carers Element Compared

Carer’s Allowance and the carers element are separate forms of support, and claiming one does not mean you have to claim the other.

Carer’s Allowance is a separate weekly benefit worth £86.45 in 2026, paid directly to the carer and subject to an earnings limit of around £204 a week. The carers element carries no separate earnings limit of its own, though overall Universal Credit remains means tested.

You can receive both, but Carer’s Allowance is treated as income when Universal Credit is calculated, reducing the Universal Credit award pound for pound.

Even so, some carers choose to claim Carer’s Allowance because it provides a Class 1 National Insurance credit towards their State Pension, since Universal Credit alone only provides a Class 3 credit.

Common misconception: Getting Carer’s Allowance automatically adds the carers element to a Universal Credit award.

The correct position: The carers element is not added automatically when someone starts receiving Carer’s Allowance. Caring responsibilities must still be reported through the Universal Credit journal.

Source: GOV.UK, Universal Credit guidance.

Common Myths About the Carers Element of Universal Credit And What Is Actually True

Our guide to the carers element of Universal Credit covers the wider eligibility rules in more detail.

What to Do If the Payment Doesn’t Show Up?

Check the following before assuming the carers element has been refused or overlooked.

1. Open your Universal Credit journal and check that the change of circumstances was submitted rather than left as a draft.
2. Check your next full statement rather than an interim balance, as a new element may appear from the following assessment period.
3. Confirm the disabled person’s qualifying benefit was active and not under review at the time caring responsibilities were reported.
4. Contact DWP through the journal directly if two full assessment periods have passed with no change.
5. Request a mandatory reconsideration in writing if DWP confirms the element was refused and the reasoning seems wrong.

A missing carers element may sometimes be a processing error rather than a genuine eligibility issue. DWP Universal Credit errors covers the common causes, and Carers UK’s advice line offers further guidance on pushing back against a decision that looks wrong.

Conclusion

Reporting your caring responsibilities through the Universal Credit journal is how you apply for the carers element of Universal Credit; no separate form exists. Checking your eligibility and reporting your caring responsibilities promptly can help ensure the correct payment is added.

For eligible unpaid carers, the carers element of Universal Credit is worth an extra £209.34 a month in 2026 to 2027.

FAQ

Is a carer better off claiming Carer’s Allowance or the carers element of Universal Credit?

It can be beneficial to claim both. Although Carer’s Allowance reduces Universal Credit pound for pound, it can provide a Class 1 National Insurance credit towards your State Pension.

Does Carer’s Allowance stop the carers element being paid?

No. Carer’s Allowance does not stop you receiving the carers element, and both can be claimed at the same time if you meet the relevant conditions.

Who is eligible for the carers element of Universal Credit?

Eligibility requires caring for someone for at least 35 hours a week where that person receives a qualifying disability benefit such as PIP or Attendance Allowance. Both conditions must be met together before the element can be added.

Can both partners in a couple claim the carers element?

Yes, provided each partner cares for a different disabled person for at least 35 hours a week. Only one carers element is payable if both partners care for the same person.

What if help is needed completing the Universal Credit application?

Free help is available through Citizens Advice’s Help to Claim service, while DWP can also provide support with your Universal Credit claim. If you are struggling with the online journal, you can contact DWP by phone for help with your claim.