When to Claim
Carer’s Allowance can generally be backdated for up to three months before the date you submit your claim, so long as you meet the conditions for this period. However, there is an exception where Carer’s Allowance can get backdated further than three months. If you claim Carer’s Allowance within three months of the person you care for getting a decision about their qualifying disability benefit, then Carer’s Allowance can get paid back up to the date the qualifying disability benefit was awarded from (as long as you meet the Carer’s Allowance conditions for the whole period).
Please note that you need to ask for Carer’s Allowance to be backdated on the claim form, it will not be backdated automatically. Carer’s Allowance can also be claimed up to three months in advance, so long as you can show you will meet the conditions from the date you want your claim to start from and should the person you are caring for be getting a disability benefit under the ‘special rules for people with a terminal illness you should mention this on the Carer’s Allowance claim form – your claim may be prioritised.
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