Carer Support Payment

It is paid at £83.30 per week and you usually receive payments once every 4 weeks. 

If you live in Scotland and previously received Carer’s Allowance, there is no need to apply for Carer Support Payment – your benefit should have moved automatically.  

Eligibility

• You are age 16 or over 
• You usually live in Scotland (if you have recently moved to Scotland, you may still be eligible, for example if you have refugee status or the person you care for has a terminal illness) 
• You provide care for 35 hours per week or more 
• You do not earn above the threshold of £196 per week, after deductions (National Insurance, tax and expenses) 
• The person you care for receives a qualifying benefit 
• Some students are eligible for CSP (whereas they are not eligible for CA) – see the full list of eligible students on the Child Poverty Action Group website 

If you are age 16, 17 or 18 and caring for someone for an average of 16 hours per week, you may be eligible for the Young Carer Grant instead. 

Qualifying benefits received by the person you care for

• Adult Disability Payment (daily living component) 
• Child Disability Payment (middle or highest care rate) 
• Pension Age Disability Payment 
• Attendance Allowance 
• Personal Independence Payment (daily living component) 
• Disability Living Allowance (middle or highest care rate) 
• Constant Attendance Allowance at or above normal maximum rate with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit 
• Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension 
• Armed Forces Independence Payment 

The meaning of “providing care” 

• Helping with dressing, washing, cooking, shopping or using the toilet
• Taking the person you care for to a doctor’s appointment  
• Helping with household tasks, like managing bills, shopping or translating important documents (if English is not the first language of the person you care for) 
• Spending time with the person you care for  
• Providing social and emotional support
• Giving the person medication or reminding them to take it

Carer’s Allowance Supplement

This is an extra payment for people in Scotland who get Carer Support Payment on a particular date. The supplement is paid twice a year. 

The next payment of £239.50 will be from December 2025. You will receive this if you get Carer Support Payment on 13 October 2025. You should receive a letter about this from Social Security Scotland before the payment is made. 

Apply or find out more

• Apply on the Scot Gov website
• View the online factsheet from Carers UK
• Read more info from Citizens Advice
• Use the benefits calculator from Edinburgh Council
• Contact Social Security Scotland online or by calling 0800 182 2222