Multiple applications for the same cared for person (sometimes known as ‘rival carers’)

To be eligible for Carer Support Payment a carer needs to be providing 35 hours of care a week to someone who is getting a qualifying disability benefit (‘the cared for person’). Where two carers are providing care to the same cared for person, only one of them can get Carer Support Payment (Carer Support Payment Regulations, Regulation 5(3))

It is also not possible for a carer to get Carer Support Payment when providing care to someone for whom another carer is getting Carer’s Allowance or Universal Credit Carer Element (Carer Support Payment regulations (PDF, 502KB)).

Situations where more than one carer applies for a carer benefit for care of the same cared for person are sometimes called ‘rival care’ situations.

This guidance is about how these situations can occur in Carer Support Payment and how they should be managed. In general though we would avoid using the term ‘rival carers’ in our communications and conversations with clients and the people they care for.

Where one carer is already in receipt of Carer Support Payment, Carer’s Allowance or the Universal Credit Carer Element for a cared for person and another application is received from a second carer in respect of the same person, a process should be carried out to determine who should be awarded support.