Scotland's unpaid carers over £4,400 better off

13th June 2025

Carers urged to check for financial support during Carers Week.

This Carers Week (9 - 15 June), unpaid carers across Scotland are being encouraged to find out if they are eligible for social security support - through Carer Support Payment, Carer's Allowance Supplement and Young Carer Grant.

Carer's Allowance Supplement - a payment only available north of the border - was the first benefit delivered by Social Security Scotland in 2018 to provide extra financial support for carers, recognising their important contribution.

Since the payment's introduction, unpaid carers in Scotland will be up to £4,475 better off by the end of 2025.

On a visit to Midlothian Carers Centre to meet with parent carers of adults with additional support needs, Minister for Equalities, Kaukab Stewart, said:

"Social security in Scotland isn’t about renaming benefits previously delivered by the UK Government. We are about delivering social security with dignity, fairness and respect, continually listening to what carers and support organisations have to say to help shape the changes we’re making.

"We introduced Carer’s Allowance Supplement and Young Carer Grant, which are only available in Scotland, and widened eligibility for Carer Support Payment to enable more carers in education to access it. We’re also committed to introducing new extra support for carers who care for more than one person. Changes to help improve the lives of carers in Scotland.

"Social security is something anyone may need at any point in their life. It’s a public service and I encourage all unpaid carers to find out if they are entitled to financial support and apply."

Carla Bennett, Carer Services Manager at VOCAL Midlothian added:

“Unpaid carers often face financial hardship, with many forced to give up paid work or reduce their hours to support those they care for. Caring for someone comes with additional costs too, such as transport, heating, equipment and food. These expenses, combined with reduced income, mean carers are more likely to experience poverty.

“Demand for VOCAL’s income maximisation service has doubled in the past year, showing that carers are feeling the strain. Accessing financial and social security support can ease this burden and make a significant difference to the lives of carers and those they care for. We would encourage carers to find out what they might be eligible for."

£4,475 is based on a carer who will have received every Carer's Allowance Supplement payment since it was introduced in June 2018 to December 2025. This includes the two extra Coronavirus Carer's Allowance Supplement payments made in June 2020 and December 2021.

Further improvements are planned for carers once all clients in Scotland who are receiving Carer's Allowance are transferred to Carer Support Payment, a process called case transfer. This includes an extra payment for carers getting Carer Support Payment and caring for more than one person receiving a disability benefit. This improvement, amongst others, will require parliamentary approval. More details available at Benefits for carers - https://www.gov.scot/policies/social-security/benefits-for-carers/