More than 96,000 people in Scotland will receive the Carer Support Allowance payment before December 15.
More than 96,000 people in Scotland will receive the Carer Support Allowance payment before December 15.(Image: Getty Images )
The Scottish Government recently confirmed Carer’s Allowance Supplement will be paid to more than 96,000 carers across Scotland before December 15. The one-off devolved payment for £293.50 will be issued automatically and started landing in bank accounts on Thursday, December 4.
Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment, currently made twice a year, for people in Scotland-only who get Carer Support Payment or Carer’s Allowance on specified qualifying dates. The qualifying date for the December payment was October 13, 2025.
Anyone due the payment will also receive a letter from Social Security Scotland confirming their eligibility, however, it’s important to be aware this may arrive after the money has landed in your account. The cash will be paid into the same account as the qualifying benefit, but will be made separately.
READ MORE: Young people providing unpaid care urged to claim £390 one-off paymentREAD MORE: New changes to carer benefits for people in Scotland due next year
If the letter or payment has not arrived by December 15, claimants should contact Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222.
Social Justice Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “As one of the first payments introduced by Social Security Scotland in 2018, I’m proud of the difference that Carer’s Allowance Supplement has made for carers across the country.
“The payment recognises the important role that carers play in our local communities and wider society. We have also recently widened eligibility for our Young Carer Grant, meaning even more unpaid carers in Scotland are benefitting from extra help.”
Paul Traynor, Head of External Affairs, Carers Trust Scotland, said: “Since its introduction, Carer’s Allowance Supplement has provided vital additional support to unpaid carers in Scotland, helping to recognise the invaluable contribution they make to their cared for people and communities.
“With over one million payments made and hundreds of millions of pounds delivered, this supplement has helped ease financial pressures for thousands of unpaid carers.”
As of 30 September 2025, 96,495 people were in receipt of Carer Support Payment. The devolved benefit began rolling out across Scotland in November 2023 to replace Carer’s Allowance delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
In October this year, around 118,000 unpaid carers who were receiving Carer’s Allowance had their benefit awards safely and securely transferred from the DWP to the Social Security Scotland system.
A series of improvements are being made to social security support for carers. As of November 17, Young Carer Grant has been extended to eligible young carers aged 19 – benefiting an additional 1,200 carers and allowing young carers to get up to four payments from the age of 16.
If you are provisioning 35 hours of weekly unpaid care for a family member, friend or neighbour and make a new claim for Carer Support Payment before the deadline on October 13, which later turns out to be successful, you will also qualify for the £293.50 payment.
Below is everything you need to know about the benefit and how to make a claim.
Carer Support Payment
Carer Support Payment is the devolved equivalent to Carer’s Allowance and is currently worth £83.30 per week to people providing 35 hours of unpaid care to family, friends or neighbours in receipt of a qualifying disability benefit.
The payment is typically issued every four weeks which amounts to £333.20.
The weekly earnings threshold is £196 – equivalent to 16 hours at the National Minimum Wage.
Am I eligible for Carer Support Payment?
Carer Support Payment is money you can get if you provide care for someone and meet certain eligibility criteria.
You must:
- be 16 or over
- usually live in Scotland
- provide care for 35 hours or more a week, this includes if you provide care all day every day
- not earn more than £196 a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses
The person you care for must already get one of these benefits:
- Adult Disability Payment – daily living component
- Child Disability Payment – middle or highest rate care component
- Pension Age Disability Payment
- Attendance Allowance
- Personal Independence Payment – daily living component
- Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance – middle or highest rate care component
- Disability Living Allowance – middle or highest rate care component
- 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
You can find out more about how it might affect other payments here.
The type of care you provide
To get Carer Support Payment, you must provide care for someone as an unpaid carer for 35 hours or more a week.
It cannot be care you provide:
- as a professional care worker
- through a volunteering scheme or charity
Even if you do not think of yourself as an unpaid carer, you might be eligible for Carer Support Payment. Examples of caring for someone include supporting them:
- with their mental health
- during an illness
- with a disability
- if they have an addiction
Supporting someone with their mental health
If you provide care for someone with a mental health condition, you might:
- comfort them during a panic attack
- stay close by so they do not feel alone
- support them through a crisis
- make sure they’re safe
- keep them company
Supporting someone with an illness or disability
If you provide care for someone with an illness or disability, you might support them with:
- getting around
- getting dressed
- taking medicines
- using the shower or toilet
- cooking meals
- food shopping
- translating
The person you provide care for
You might provide care for:
- someone in your family
- a friend
- a neighbour
You do not have to live with them or be related to them.
You can only apply for Carer Support Payment for one person. If you provide care for more people, you are not entitled to extra payments.
You can check if you are eligible for Carer Support Payment and find full details on the devolved benefit on the mygov.scot website here.
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