They should get the £20 disregard [b:edcc180b18]if the one who is a carer works [/b:edcc180b18](and it doesn’t have to be more than 16 hours, in fact if it is more than 16 hours they are probably earning too much to get Carers Allowance). But if the carer does [b:edcc180b18]not[/b:edcc180b18] work, they don’t get the £20 disregard.
There is a particularly complicated set of rules for a case where the carer earns less than £20 and their partner also works. If that is the case, you disregard the lowest of:
– £20
– the total combined earnings of the couple
– the carer’s earnings plus whatever amount would normally be disregarded from the partner’s earnings
See HB Schedule 4, paras 5 and 6.
If they also happen to qualify for the 16/30 hour disregard, they get that as well on top of the normal £20.
