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<p>There is no upper age limit to claiming Carer’s Allowance, but it cannot normally
be paid with the State Pension. Carer’s Allowance provides a measure of replacement
income where the duties of caring for a severely disabled person limit the prospect
of full-time work and the earnings it would yield. State Pension provides a replacement
income in retirement.</p><p>It is a long-standing and basic principle of the social
security system that only one benefit at a time can be paid for the same purpose.
Even though the circumstances which give rise to entitlement to Carer’s Allowance
and State Pension are different, they are both designed to provide a degree of replacement
for lost or foregone income.</p><p>The overlapping benefits rules, which prevent both
benefits being paid, were established to reflect the general principle that flat-rate
benefits designed to help with income maintenance e.g. Carer’s Allowance and State
Pension, should not be added together and paid in full, even though a person may qualify
for both. However, if a carer’s State Pension is less than Carer's Allowance, State
Pension is paid and topped up with Carer's Allowance to the basic weekly rate of Carer's
Allowance which, from April 2019, increased to £66.15.</p>
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