DWP payment rules for people on Carer's Allowance going on holiday abroad during the next six months

Nearly one million people across Great Britain, including 83,903 living in Scotland are currently receiving £81.90 each week in Carer’s Allowance. However, many of those claimants may not be aware of several changes in circumstances that must be reported to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or risk losing their benefit entitlement.

These changes include starting a job, entering or leaving full-time education, earning more than £151 per week, not providing 35 hours of weekly care, or the person they care for goes into hospital, into a care home or takes a holiday.

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 (26 weeks), may affect 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), Adult Disability Payment, 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.

A full list of changes to report to the DWP can be found on GOV.UK here. You can also report the change online on that same page.

Reporting a change online

Make sure you have:

• your National Insurance number

• details of the person you’re caring for

• details of your changes

Number of people claiming Carer’s Allowance

The latest figures from the DWP show that at the end of May 2023, there were 971,686 people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance across Scotland, England and Wales, including 550 living abroad.

• Scotland: 83,903

• England: 828,633

• Wales: 58,600

• Living Abroad: 550

• Total: 971,686

Carer's Allowance Supplement

People claiming Carer’s Allowance in Scotland-only will receive one-off payments for £288.60 in December. Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an automatic payment made twice each year by the Scottish Government to recognise the important contribution made by unpaid carers - the first payment of 2024 was made in June.

To qualify for the automatic payment before Christmas, people need to have been in receipt of either Carer’s Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or the newly launched Carer Support Payment from Social Security Scotland, on October 7, 2024 - the exact payment dates will be confirmed nearer the time.

The payment is administered by Social Security Scotland and delivered separately from Carer’s Allowance. The second Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment will be made in December to those in claim on October 7, 2024 - the exact payment dates will be confirmed nearer the time.