Carer support payment rolled out to more areas in Scotland

A Scottish benefit for carers, including some in full-time education, has been rolled out to seven more council areas.

Carer support payment, the replacement for carer’s allowance, is now available in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Fife, Moray and North, East and South Ayrshire.

It comes after it was piloted in Perth and Kinross, Dundee City, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles), Angus and North and South Lanarkshire, and will be available across all of Scotland from November 4.

Unlike carer’s allowance, which is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), carer support payment is available to some carers in full-time education, including 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 to 19 in non-advanced education who meet certain criteria, for example, not having any parental support.

Social justice secretary 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.

“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.”

The Scottish Government said new backdating rules that have been introduced 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 in Scotland who already get carer’s allowance will have their award automatically transferred to carer support payment.

The amount they receive will not change and Social Security Scotland will write to people in advance to let them know that their award will be moving.

Carers can also find out more, and apply at https://www.mygov.scot/carer-support-payment