What is Carer Support Payment?
Carer Support Payment is the main benefit for those of us caring for a family member or friend in Scotland - previously known as ‘Carers Allowance’.
It is worth an extra £4,300 a year to support us with covering the cost of caring, whether that’s travel, medication, household items, respite, or taking care of our wellbeing.
With the Carer Support Payment also comes two extra annual payments called the Carer’s Allowance Supplement. This will be paid automatically.
Check if you’re eligible in just two minutes, it’s completely free
Every year, thousands of people caring for a family member or friend miss out on up to £83.30 per week in Carer Support Payment.
"I received my carers allowance a week after reading about how to apply from the tool. It was so much simpler than I imagined it would be."
- Stewart from the Highlands
Find out in less than three minutes if you may be eligible with this simple, free claim checker.
Everything to know about Carer Support Payment
How much is Carer Support Payment?
The current Carer Support Payment rate is £83.30 per week. That’s over £4,300 a year – money that can help with:
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Paying for household bills or groceries
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Paying for transport or petrol to and from appointments
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Buying essential items for us, or the person we care for
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Taking care of our own wellbeing (like a gym membership, coffee with a friend, or a short break)
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Saving for future expenses
Am I eligible for Carer Support Payment?
The get the Carer Support Payment in Scotland, we must:
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Earn less than £196 per week after tax
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Spend a minimum of 35 hours each week, looking after someone with a disability or health condition
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Not be studying more than 21 hours per week
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If you're retired, your State Pension per week must be less than Carer’s Allowance
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The person you are caring for is receiving an eligible disability benefit (such as Adult Disability Payment, Attendance Allowance)
How do I claim Carer Support Payment?
We can start our Carer Support Payment claim online. But knowing where to start and what is needed to claim Carer Support Payment can feel confusing.
We make the first steps easy:
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Use the free eligibility tool to check if you qualify
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Get clear, tailored next steps if you’re eligible
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We'll direct you to www.mygov.scot to apply with confidence
"I didn't know anything about the carers support payment. This tool saved me time, phone calls etc.."
- Anna from Glasgow
Carer’s Allowance Supplement 2025
If we’re already receiving Carer’s Allowance or the new Carer Support Payment, we’ll automatically get an extra payment called the Carer’s Allowance Supplement.
How much is it?
The Carer’s Allowance Supplement is paid twice a year and is worth £293.50 per payment, £587 in total.
When is it paid?
The supplement is usually paid in June and December each year.
For 2025, the dates for payments are:
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Between 18th June and 19th June 2025. If we don’t receive a letter by the end of June, contact Social Security Scotland.
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December (exact dates to be confirmed)
Is Carers Support Payment Taxable?
Yes, the Carer Support Payment is treated as taxable income. So if we receive other taxable incomes on top of it such as a salary, pension or interest and the combined total reaches the Personal Allowance (up to £12,570) we will have to pay tax on it.
How long does Carer Support Payment take to process?
The process of claiming Carer Support Payment varies depending on how complicated our claim is and if extra information is needed. But on average it can take around three to eight weeks. If a claim is approved, payments can be backdated by up to three months from the date we applied.
Many carers in the Mobilise Hub have shared that it’s unfortunately normal to experience delays so it's helpful to put a note in the diary to follow up on our claim.
“Give them a call a few days after you have sent off your application! I applied four months ago and have heard nothing back.”
If a claim is turned down, we can ask for a "redetermination or appeal", a review of the decision, which may extend the process further.
The wait can be frustrating, so in the meantime take a look at the Financial Support for Carers guide which includes other benefits we might be eligible for, council tax reduction, money off utilities, travel and more.
Does Carer Support Payment affect Universal Credit?
Yes, Carer Support Payment can affect Universal Credit - but not always in a bad way.
In most cases, the amount we get from Carer Support Payment is counted as income when working out our Universal Credit payment. This means our Universal Credit might be slightly reduced, but we could still be better off overall by claiming both.
The good news is that we might also be able to get the Carer Element of Universal Credit (worth around £201 a month), on top of Carer Support Payment. The Carer Element is extra financial help for people who care for someone for at least 35 hours a week.
So while Carer Support Payment affects the amount of Universal Credit received, it doesn’t stop us from claiming it. Many carers in Scotland claim both to help with the rising cost of living.
If we’re unsure how payments might work together, reaching out to Citizens Advice Scotland is a helpful starting point.
Other financial support I can get as a carer
As a carer in Scotland, there’s more financial support out there than we might think.
Here are some key options to explore:
Help with household bills
Many carers in the Mobilise Hub have shared various discounts they were able to get overtime such as:
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Council Tax (through reductions or exemptions)
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Water charges
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Energy bills through schemes like the Warm Home Discount
See the full financial support of carers guide for a list of benefits and grant schemes.
Young Carer Grant
For those of us over 18 and providing unpaid care, we’re legally entitled to an Adult Carer Support Plan from our local council.
This involves having a conversation with a professional to explore our caring role and identify gaps that they can support us with - practically, financially and emotionally.
It could lead to financial help like one-off grants, funding for breaks from caring, or help with transport costs.
See the full Adult Carer Support Plan guide for carers’ top tips on how to prepare and what kind of support to expect.
Adult Carer Support Plan
For those of us over 18 and providing unpaid care, we’re legally entitled to an Adult Carer Support Plan from our local council.
This involves having a conversation with a professional to explore our caring role and identify gaps that they can support us with - practically, financially and emotionally.
It could lead to financial help like one-off grants, funding for breaks from caring, or help with transport costs.
See the full Adult Carer Support Plan guide for carers’ top tips on how to prepare and what kind of support to expect.
More than a benefits checker
Caring and finances can be a muddy world to navigate. At Mobilise, we’re more than just a benefits checker, we’re a community of peers! Thousands of carers connect daily in the Mobilise Hub to ask questions, share advice, and join online meet ups.
From carer finances to incontinence tips or just a light-hearted chat, the Mobilise hub is a safe space to ask questions, connect with others in similar situations, or just share what’s on our minds.
"What a great resource. Why don't more carers know about this? As a carer it's quite difficult to keep up to date with what's going on outside your own little bubble. Mobilise is really outstanding when it comes to keeping in touch with others in the same boat…and it's FREE!"
- Carer from the Mobilise Hub
