Carer Support Payment rolled out to three new areas of Scotland this week

3 mins read

Thursday 27 June 2024

Tags: scotland, benefits, carer's allowance, welfare benefits in scotland, carer support payment

Carer Support Payment, the new benefit replacing Carer’s Allowance in Scotland, rolled out to Angus, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire this week. The new benefit is the same rate as Carer’s Allowance and has similar qualifying rules.

New claimants

Carer Support Allowance was first introduced in the three areas of Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles). From Monday 24 June, it has been extended to Angus, North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire.

If you live in one of these six areas and want to make a new claim for Carer’s Allowance, you will need to claim Carer Support Payment instead. To claim Carer Support Payment, apply online via mygov.scot or by telephone Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222.

When will Carer Support Payment roll out to the rest of Scotland?

From 19 August, Carer Support Payment will replace new claims for Carer’s Allowance in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, East Ayrshire, Fife, Moray, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire.

It’s expected to be rolled out to the rest of Scotland from 4th November.

What about existing Carer’s Allowance claimants?

Social Security Scotland is in the process of transferring all existing Carer’s Allowance claimants in Scotland onto Carer Support Payment.

This process started in February. It is expected that all Carer’s Allowance claimants in Scotland will have moved onto the new benefit by Spring 2025.

Existing Carer’s Allowance claimants in Scotland will move onto the new benefit automatically. There is no need to make a claim or do anything else.

How much is Carer Support Payment?

Carer Support payment is £81.90 per week, the same amount as Carer’s Allowance. You should also receive an additional lump sum payment – known as the Carer’s Allowance Supplement – twice a year.

Who qualifies for Carer Support Payment?

See our webpage for more details of the qualifying rules.

Most of the rules are identical to Carer’s Allowance. This includes the earnings threshold and the need to be looking after someone on certain disability benefits for at least 35 hours a week.

The main differences are:

  • More generous rules for students allowing carers in some forms of full-time education to qualify for Carer Support Payment, even if ineligible for Carer’s Allowance.
  • The amount of time someone must have spent in the UK before they can claim Carer Support Payment is 26 weeks out of the previous 52 weeks. For Carer’s Allowance, this is 104 weeks out of 156 weeks.

There are a number of situations in which you can get Carer Support Payment backdated. This includes potentially as far back as 19 November 2023 if you were unable to get Carer’s Allowance but do qualify for Carer Support Payment. See our webpage for more information.