How to get £209 a month added to your Universal Credit if you care for someone
Key points
- If you look after someone on PIP or DLA for at least 35 hours a week, you can add £209.34 a month to your Universal Credit
- You do not need to claim Carer's Allowance first, and your own earnings do not stop you from getting the carer element
- The payment is not added automatically — you must report that you are a carer in your Universal Credit journal for DWP to update your payments
If you look after a disabled or seriously ill person, there may be extra money waiting for you on Universal Credit (UC). It is called the carer element, and it is worth £209.34 a month in 2026 to 2027. Many carers do not know it exists. Others think they have to claim Carer's Allowance first. You do not.
Who qualifies?
You can get the carer element if you spend at least 35 hours a week looking after someone who receives one of the following:
- the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- the highest or middle rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- Child Disability Payment — daily living component (Scotland)
- Constant Attendance Allowance paid with an industrial injuries or war pension
Your own earnings do not affect your right to the carer element. If you work, you can still qualify.
You do not need to claim Carer's Allowance first
Carer's Allowance and the UC carer element are two separate things. You can get the carer element added to your UC even if you have never claimed Carer's Allowance, and even if your income is above the Carer's Allowance earnings limit.
Some carers get both. If you do claim Carer's Allowance, it is counted as income in your UC, so it reduces your UC award slightly — but the carer element is added on top regardless.
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If you already get the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) element because of your own health condition, you cannot get the carer element at the same time. If this applies to you, Citizens Advice can help you work out your best option.
Also, if the person you look after receives a severe disability premium in their own benefits, adding the carer element to your UC may affect that payment. Citizens Advice at citizensadvice.org.uk can check the full picture before you make any changes.
How to claim
The carer element is not added automatically. You need to tell DWP. Here is what to do:
- Log in to your Universal Credit online account.
- Go to your journal.
- Report that you are providing care for someone.
- Include which benefit the person you care for receives.
DWP will check your eligibility and update your payments. Report this as soon as you become eligible — payments usually only go back to the date you first told DWP.
Frequently asked questions
What if I am not sure I qualify or my UC payments do not look right after I report?
Log into your UC journal and report the change anyway, then contact Citizens Advice at citizensadvice.org.uk — they can check your entitlement for free and help if DWP does not update your payments correctly.
Does the carer element apply if I live in Scotland?
Yes — Universal Credit and the carer element apply across England, Scotland, and Wales, though Scotland also offers Carer Support Payment as an alternative to Carer's Allowance for those who want to claim separately.
Official source: https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/what-youll-get