Thinking about leaving work?

There may come a time that you feel you are no longer able to cope with juggling your job alongside your caring responsibilities, and you are considering giving up work. Before you make a decision, it is important to spend time thinking about the implications of giving up work and whether it is the best option for you.

Giving up work may be a relief but it may not always be the best solution. Carers can benefit greatly, not only financially, but also in terms of emotional wellbeing, by being in employment.

It is in an employer’s interest to support carers to enable them to continue doing their job because doing so will improve the chance of retaining skilled, experienced and committed members of staff. Before making a final decision to leave your job, think about discussing alternative solutions with your employer.

Financial considerations

Benefits

The benefits you may be entitled to if you give up work will depend on your household situation, income and your caring role.

You can find more information on our money and benefits section of this website or get an idea of what you might be entitled to by using a benefits calculator

State retirement pension

As well as affecting your income, giving up work may have an impact on the amount of state retirement pension you receive. To qualify for a state pension you need to have enough qualifying years, people who earn too little to pay national insurance, or, people who are out of work and not claiming certain benefits may have gaps in their records.

With some benefits like carers allowance your national insurance credits are paid automatically and this helps protect your pension record. If you are caring at least 20 hours per week but do not qualify for carers allowance, you can apply for Carers Credit instead to protect your pension record.

You may be able to pay voluntary contributions to make up gaps in your national insurance record but there are special rules for doing this. The government website provides information; you can check your National Insurance record and request a State Pension forecast.

Help and advice

If you can’t find the help you need on our website, please email enquiries@yorkcarerscentre.co.uk or call 01904 715490 to arrange an appointment with our Benefits Advisor.