Changes of circumstances
Changes you should tell us about
You should tell the CA Unit if:
- you start work or intend to start work (whether employed or self-employed)
- or you (or the disabled person) go into hospital
- or you are imprisoned, or detained in legal custody in connection with a criminal offence
- or the disabled person stops getting Attendance Allowance (AA), the highest or middle-rate care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or the maximum rate of Constant Attendance Allowance (CAA)
- or you intend to go abroad (you need to say when and where you are going)
- or you (or the disabled person) change address. This will not normally affect your entitlement to CA
- or you stop looking after the disabled person or spend less than 35 hours a week doing so
- or you start or intend to start a course of full-time education
- or you or your partner claim or start to receive another benefit
- or your earnings go up or any expenses already claimed change
- or the disabled person dies
- or you or your partner become entitled to Child Benefit. In this case you may receive extra CA or Child Tax Credit.
In certain circumstances CA can continue for several weeks - if:
- you are taking a temporary break from caring
- or you or the disabled person have gone into hospital.
A total of 12 weeks’ break can be taken in any 6-month period, but no more than 4 of these can be for a reason other than going into hospital. If AA, DLA or CAA stops because the disabled person has gone into hospital, CA will stop too. You must tell the CA Unit about any short breaks in caring of more than 1 week.
If you are getting extra CA for your dependants, you must also tell the CA Unit if:
- you stop supporting your partner
- or your partner starts work or earns more than before
- or your children leave school or home, or they get married or form a civil partnership
- or your dependants start to get another benefit in their own right (except AA or DLA).
If you think any other changes in your dependants’ circumstances might affect your CA, let the CA Unit know. You can notify a change of circumstances on-line using the electronic claim form.