Getting paid to care for a family member in the UK
Almost everyone searching for this is really asking about two different things, and they work very differently.
1. A benefit paid to the carer
Carer's Allowance (Carer Support Payment in Scotland) is an income support for people whose caring limits their earnings. It is not wages for the care you provide, and the amount does not vary with the hours you give.
2. A direct payment scheme
Council funding given to the person needing care so they can arrange their own support. This is the route through which a family member can sometimes genuinely be paid to provide care.
The carer's benefit is broadly the same across Great Britain. The direct payment rules on paying a family member — especially one living in the same household — differ significantly by nation. Scotland is the most permissive, England the most restrictive, with Wales in between.
Choose your nation
England
Carer's Allowance, £86.45/week · Direct Payments (Care Act 2014)
Same-household family generally excluded unless the council judges it necessary.
Read the England guide →Wales
Carer's Allowance, £86.45/week · Direct Payments (Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014)
Same-household relative only where necessary to promote the person’s well-being — e.g. cultural reasons or recruitment difficulty.
Read the Wales guide →Scotland
Carer Support Payment, £86.45/week plus supplements · Self-Directed Support, Option 1
The most permissive — a same-household family member, including a spouse or partner, can be paid where conditions are met.
Read the Scotland guide →Before applying for the carer's benefit, the Carer's Allowance checklist shows exactly what you'll need to hand.
Caring in Ireland? See the Ireland guide — the system there is quite different.