Unpaid carers across Scotland could be missing out on financial support worth more than £5,600 a year through four dedicated payments now available from Social Security Scotland. These include the Carer Support Payment, Scottish Carer Supplement, Carer Additional Person Payment and the Young Carer Grant.
Together, these payments can provide thousands of pounds a year in extra income, and some carers may also be entitled to additional help through benefits such as Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Council Tax Reduction. It is important to note that Carer Support Payment has replaced Carer's Allowance for all new claims in Scotland.
Carer Support Payment and Scottish Carer Supplement
Carer Support Payment, worth £86.45 a week (£345.80 every four-week payment period, or £4,495 a year), is available to people who spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone receiving a qualifying disability benefit. To qualify, carers must usually earn less than £204 a week after deductions for tax, National Insurance and certain expenses. Unlike Carer's Allowance, delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Carer Support Payment is also available to some people in education.
Those receiving Carer Support Payment automatically qualify for the Scottish Carer Supplement, worth an additional £11.70 a week (around £608 a year). This payment is only available in Scotland and is paid automatically, with no separate application needed.
Carer Additional Person Payment and Young Carer Grant
The Scotland-only Carer Additional Person Payment is now available for people who care for more than one person. It is worth £10.40 a week, or around £541 a year, for each additional person a carer looks after. To qualify, a person must already receive Carer Support Payment and provide at least 20 hours of care each week to another person receiving a qualifying disability benefit.
Young carers aged 16, 17, 18 or 19 may be able to claim the Young Carer Grant, an annual payment worth £405.10. It is available to young people who provide an average of 16 hours of care a week to someone receiving a qualifying disability benefit, and the money can be spent however the young person chooses.
Other support and potential total
Financial support for carers does not stop with Social Security Scotland payments. Some carers may qualify for extra support through Universal Credit, while pensioners may receive additional help through Pension Credit. Carers may also qualify for Council Tax Reduction and National Insurance credits, which can help protect their entitlement to the State Pension in later life. Support is also available through local carers' organisations, which can offer advice, information, wellbeing support and help accessing respite services.
A person receiving Carer Support Payment and Scottish Carer Supplement would receive support worth around £5,103 a year, while someone who also qualifies for Carer Additional Person Payment could receive around £5,644 a year in direct financial support. The total could be even higher for carers receiving additional support through Universal Credit, Pension Credit or other benefits. Carers Week runs until June 14, and anyone who thinks they may be entitled to support can find out more through the Social Security Scotland website and the Scottish Government's carers information service.
