Extending Carer Support Payment

21st August 2024

Scottish benefit for carers now available in seven more council areas.

Thousands more unpaid carers in Scotland can apply for a new benefit.

Carer Support Payment, the replacement for Carer's Allowance, is now available in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Fife, Moray and North, East and South Ayrshire.

This follows other pilot areas where Carer Support Payment has already been rolled out - Perth & Kinross, Dundee City, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), Angus and North and South Lanarkshire.

The benefit will be available across all Scotland from 4 November.

Unlike Carer's Allowance, Carer Support Payment is available to some carers in full-time education. This includes full-time students aged 20 or over and students under 20 who are in advanced or higher education.

In June, eligibility was extended to carers aged 16-19 in non-advanced education who meet certain criteria, for example, not having any parental support.

New backdating rules that have been introduced also mean that some carers - mostly full-time students - who are living in the new areas can apply to have their benefit payments backdated to when Carer Support Payment was introduced.

Carers who live in areas where Carer Support Payment is not yet available are urged to apply for Carer's Allowance to make sure they are not missing out on financial support.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

"The work of unpaid carers is vital to the people they look after and to society as a whole.

"I am delighted that we are ready to roll out Carer Support Payment to more areas in Scotland, meaning thousands more unpaid carers can apply.

“I urge anyone who lives in an area where Carer Support Payment is available to apply for it as soon as possible. And if the payment is not yet available in their area, I would urge them to apply for Carer's Allowance from the DWP so that they don’t miss out on any financial support."

Carer Support Payment opened for new applications on 19 August, in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Fife, Moray, and North, East and South Ayrshire. It will be available in the rest of Scotland from 4 November. Carers can use the postcode checker to see if Carer Support Payment is available in their area.

postcodecheck.socialsecurity.gov.scot. https://postcodecheck.socialsecurity.gov.scot/

Carers can also find out more, and apply at https://www.mygov.scot/carer-support-payment
Eligible carers who live in areas where Carer Support Payment is not yet available are being urged to still apply for Carer's Allowance to make sure they don’t miss out on support.

Changes to allow more young carers in education to access Carer Support Payment have been in force since June. Carers aged 16 to 19 in full-time ‘non advanced’ education can be eligible if they have certain exceptional circumstances - including if they have no support from parents or are responsible for a child or young person. Non-advanced education includes school and college courses such as National Certificates, Highers and Advanced Highers.

Special backdating rules for the Carer Support Payment roll out mean that carers who are not eligible for Carer’s Allowance but are eligible for Carer Support Payment, and are living in areas outside of the initial three pilot areas, can apply to have their payments backdated to the date Carer Support Payment first became available. The rules are designed to stop carers missing out on money they are entitled to because they live in an area included in the later phases of the rollout.

To get fully backdated payments under these special rules, carers should apply within 13 weeks of the benefit becoming available in their area. The deadline for carers living in the new areas of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Fife, Moray and North, East and South Ayrshire is 17 November 2024. The deadline for carers living in the areas where the benefit opened in June - Angus, North and South Lanarkshire - is 22 September 2024. Carers may still be able to get fully backdated support after this if they have a good reason for missing the deadline.

Carers in Scotland who already get Carer's Allowance will have their award moved automatically transferred to Carer Support Payment. The amount they receive will not change. Social Security Scotland will write to people in advance to let them know that their award will be moving.

The transfer of benefits began in February this year. This is happening across the country and not just in the areas where Carer Support Payment is available for new applicants. All awards are expected to be moved by Spring 2025.