Carer Support Payment has replaced Carer's Allowance for most carers in Scotland and is now available across Scotland, Social Security Scotland said. The payment is £86.45 per week1.
It is available to people providing care for 35 hours or more a week to someone who receives a qualifying disability benefit, and the carer must earn less than £204 per week after tax, National Insurance and expenses1. Carers UK gives the earnings limit as applying from 6 April 2026 to the end of March 20272. Carer Support Payment is also available to some carers in education1.
"This new financial benefit has replaced Carer's Allowance in Scotland and is now available across Scotland."
Three other payments are listed alongside it. Scottish Carer Supplement is worth £11.70 per week, is only available in Scotland and is paid automatically weekly alongside Carer Support Payment without the need to apply1. Carer Additional Person Payment, introduced in March 2026, is for people who care for more than one person and is paid weekly at £10.40 per week1; Carers UK describes it as worth around an extra £10 a week2. Young Carer Grant is available for carers aged 16 to 19 who provide support for an average of 16 hours a week to someone receiving a qualifying disability benefit; it is a yearly payment of £405.101, paid once a year and available for up to 3 years3.
| Payment | Rate | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Carer Support Payment | £86.45 per week1 | Care of 35 hours or more a week for someone on a qualifying disability benefit; earnings under £204 a week after deductions1 |
| Scottish Carer Supplement | £11.70 per week1 | Eligible unpaid carers who get Carer Support Payment; paid automatically1 |
| Carer Additional Person Payment | £10.40 per week1 | People who care for more than one person1 |
| Young Carer Grant | £405.10 a year1 | Carers aged 16 to 19, average 16 hours a week of support1 |
Carers UK says it is not possible to claim Carer Support Payment and Carer's Allowance at the same time, and that people already receiving Carer's Allowance do not need to apply: payments continue until they are moved to Carer Support Payment, which offers the same rate, with no gap in payment2. The qualifying disability benefits listed by Carers UK include the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment and of Personal Independence Payment, the middle or higher rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment and of Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance or Pension Age Disability Payment, and Armed Forces Independence Payment2. The person cared for does not have to live with or be related to the carer3.
Separate rules apply for terminal illness. Carer Support Payment can be awarded under Special Rules for Terminal Illness where the carer, or the person they care for, already gets a disability benefit under those rules, and the usual residence requirement of 26 of the past 52 weeks in the Common Travel Area does not apply4. Payment is usually made every 4 weeks for the previous 4 week period, but a carer awarded under special rules can ask to be paid weekly in advance instead, with the overall amount unchanged4.
Why it matters for households
For carers in Scotland, the payment that replaces Carer's Allowance is paid at the same weekly rate, so the change is mainly about which body administers it: Carer Support Payment is managed by Social Security Scotland, while Carer's Allowance is managed by the DWP2. Carers already on Carer's Allowance are transferred without applying and without a gap in payment2. The earnings limit of £204 a week after tax, National Insurance and certain expenses runs from 6 April 2026 to the end of March 20272. Carer Support Payment may affect other benefits the carer receives, or the benefit received by the person they care for2. Carers UK notes that receiving it could increase means-tested benefits or mean qualifying for certain benefits for the first time2. Carer Additional Person Payment adds £10.40 a week for those caring for more than one person1, and Scottish Carer Supplement adds £11.70 a week automatically for eligible carers1. Young Carer Grant is £405.10 a year for eligible carers aged 16 to 19 and can be spent on whatever the young person wants1.
What happens next
Carers Week runs from 8 to 14 June, and Social Security Scotland is encouraging Scotland's carers to check they are getting the help they are entitled to1. Carers UK says people who have recently moved to Scotland from England, Wales or Northern Ireland while receiving Carer's Allowance or a disability benefit need to tell the benefit provider about the change of address and make a new application to Social Security Scotland for the replacement Scottish benefits2. Carers can contact Social Security Scotland on 0800 182 2222, 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday3, and the Carer's Allowance Unit on 0800 731 0297, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm3.
Sources4 cited
- Spread the word this Carers Week - Social Security Scotland socialsecurity.gov.scot
- Carer Support Payment (1) | Carers Scotland carersuk.org
- Financial help if you're caring for someone with a disability or illness opfs.org.uk
- What assistance you’re entitled to under Special Rules for Terminal Illness - mygov.scot mygov.scot
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