TL;DR
The carer element is an extra amount added to Universal Credit if you provide at least 35 hours a week of care for someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit. For 2026/27 it is worth £209.34 a month. It is not paid automatically, so you must report your caring role through your Universal Credit account. You can get it without claiming Carer's Allowance, but you cannot receive both the carer element and the limited capability for work and work-related activity element for yourself.
Last reviewed 30 June 2026
What the carer element is
The carer element is an extra amount built into your Universal Credit award if you provide substantial unpaid care. For 2026/27 it is worth £209.34 a month, up from £201.68 in 2025/26. It sits inside your Universal Credit rather than being paid separately, so it raises the maximum your household can receive before earnings, other income and savings are taken into account.
Who qualifies
To get the carer element you must provide care for at least 35 hours a week for someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit. Qualifying benefits include the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment, the middle or highest care rate of Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Armed Forces Independence Payment and Constant Attendance Allowance. You do not need to live with or be related to the person you care for, and there is no earnings limit for the element itself.
How to claim it
The carer element is not added automatically. You must report that you are a carer through your Universal Credit account, giving the name, date of birth and National Insurance number of the person you care for, details of their qualifying benefit, and the hours of care you provide. If you become a carer partway through a claim, you need to report the change to have the element added.
How it works with Carer's Allowance
You do not need to claim Carer's Allowance to get the carer element, which is useful if you cannot get Carer's Allowance because you earn too much or are a full-time student. You can qualify for both, but Carer's Allowance counts as income for Universal Credit and is deducted pound for pound, so in practice you do not usually keep both amounts in full on top of each other.
The traps to watch for
There are two common traps. First, you cannot receive the carer element at the same time as the limited capability for work and work-related activity element for yourself, so if you qualify for both you get one, not both. Second, claiming the carer element can affect the person you care for: if they receive a severe disability premium with their own means-tested benefits, that premium can stop once your award includes the carer element. It is worth checking the effect on their benefits before you report the change.
Couples and joint claims
If you have a joint Universal Credit claim and you and your partner each care for a different qualifying person for at least 35 hours a week, you can each receive a carer element. If you both care for the same person, only one carer element is paid for that person.
Related guides
Disclaimer: This article is general information and not financial or welfare advice. Rates and rules are set by the DWP and can change. Because the carer element interacts with other benefits, use a benefits calculator or a free adviser such as Citizens Advice before making changes. Figures are from the GOV.UK source below.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Universal Credit carer element for 2026/27?
It is £209.34 a month, up from £201.68 in 2025/26.
How many hours of care do I need to provide?
At least 35 hours a week, for someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit.
Do I need Carer's Allowance to get the carer element?
No. You can get the carer element without claiming Carer's Allowance. If you do claim Carer's Allowance, it is deducted from your Universal Credit.
Is the carer element added automatically?
No. You must report your caring role through your Universal Credit account for it to be added.
Can I get the carer element and the LCWRA element together?
No. You cannot receive the carer element and the limited capability for work and work-related activity element for yourself at the same time.
