Universal Credit, or UC, is a benefit designed to support people on a low income.
For those who provide substantial care, the question of whether they must also look for work is critical.
The Department for Work and Pensions, or DWP, recognises that providing care for a severely disabled person is a full-time commitment that significantly limits a person’s capacity to seek or take on work.
Therefore, claimants who meet the criteria for caring responsibilities are placed into a different work-related activity group that removes the mandatory requirement to look for work.
This is one of the most important protective features of the benefit for those in a dedicated caring role, allowing them to focus on the needs of the person they look after without the fear of sanctions.
Do carers on Universal Credit have to look for work?
No, if you are providing regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person, you are not required to look for work or take part in any work-related activities.
Your claimant commitment will be adjusted to reflect your caring responsibilities.
You are classed as having regular and substantial caring responsibilities if:
- You spend at least 35 hours a week caring for the disabled person.
- The person you care for receives a qualifying disability benefit, such as the Daily Living component of Personal Independence Payment, or PIP, the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance, or DLA, or Attendance Allowance.
If you meet these criteria, you will be placed in the No Work Related Requirements group, meaning you will not have to attend jobcentre appointments or search for jobs.
What is the Carer Element of Universal Credit?
The Carer Element is an extra amount of money included in your Universal Credit payment specifically to recognise your role as a carer.
You can be eligible for this additional element even if you do not claim Carer’s Allowance, as long as you meet the criteria for providing 35 hours of care per week.
- Amount: For the financial year 2025/2026, the Carer Element is worth £201.68 a month.
- Impact: Receiving the Carer Element is the formal recognition from the DWP that confirms your non-working or reduced working status is because of your caring role, which is what removes the requirement to look for work.
You must ensure you tell the DWP about your caring role, as this element is not always added automatically.
Can I work and still receive the Carer Element?
Yes, you can work while receiving the Carer Element of Universal Credit.
Unlike Carer’s Allowance, which has a strict earnings limit, the Carer Element does not have an earnings cap that prevents entitlement to the element itself.
However, because Universal Credit is a means-tested benefit, any money you earn from work will still reduce your overall Universal Credit payment through the taper rate.
Universal Credit is reduced by 55 pence for every £1 you earn over your Work Allowance, if you are eligible for one.
Therefore, while you can work, the overall amount of Universal Credit you receive will decrease as your earnings increase, though you will always be financially better off by working.
What happens if I care for less than 35 hours a week?
If you are caring for a disabled person but spend less than 35 hours a week doing so, you will still need to adhere to some work-related activities.
However, your Claimant Commitment should be tailored by your work coach to reflect your partial caring responsibilities.
- Work Coach Review: You should discuss your caring hours with your work coach, who will adjust the number of hours you are expected to spend looking for work to account for the hours you spend caring.
- Work Preparation: You may be placed in the Work Preparation group, which means you are expected to take steps to get ready for work, such as writing a Curriculum Vitae, or CV, or attending training, but you will not be expected to look for jobs immediately.
What if I have caring responsibilities and my own disability?
If you have your own long-term health condition or disability for which you receive PIP, you may also qualify for a separate work-related group that removes work requirements.
- Limited Capability for Work Related Activity, or LCWRA: If you are assessed as having LCWRA after a Work Capability Assessment, you will be placed in the No Work Related Requirements group.
- Higher Element Prevails: If you are entitled to both the Carer Element and the LCWRA element, you will only receive the higher amount of the two. Importantly, if you qualify for either the Carer Element or the LCWRA element, you will be placed in the non-work-related group, so you will not have to look for work.
Does claiming the Carer Element affect the person I care for?
Yes, claiming the Carer Element can affect the benefits of the person you care for, and this is a crucial point to check before making a claim.
If you successfully claim the Carer Element, the disabled person you care for may lose their entitlement to the Severe Disability Premium, or SDP.
- SDP Loss: The SDP is an extra amount paid with certain legacy benefits like Income Support or Housing Benefit. It is paid to people living alone who do not have anyone claiming Carer’s Allowance for them.
- Consultation: You should always speak to a welfare rights advisor, such as Citizens Advice, before claiming the Carer Element to ensure that the loss of the SDP to the disabled person does not result in a net financial loss for the household.
How do I inform the DWP about my caring role on Universal Credit?
You must formally tell the DWP about your caring role.
This is done by reporting a change of circumstances through your online Universal Credit journal or by calling the Universal Credit helpline.
You will need to provide:
- The name of the person you care for.
- Their date of birth.
- Their National Insurance number.
- The disability benefit they receive and the rate they receive it.
- Confirmation that you provide at least 35 hours of care per week.
Reporting this change is necessary to ensure you are placed in the correct work group and receive the Carer Element.
