The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced a new Carer Support Payment scheme that will commence in 2025, which will be offering qualifying carers a sum of £330 monthly as reimbursement for caregiving services. This new form of support is a significant improvement over the former Carer’s Allowance scheme in Scotland, as it benefits more caregivers who look after individuals with qualifying disability benefits and who provide a minimum of 35 hours of unpaid caring per week.
What is the Carer Support Payment?
The Carer Support Payment is targeted as paying a financial support benefit to individuals who incur substantial unpaid caregiving to individuals of a qualifying disability benefit. The payment is issued weekly at the rate of £83.30, which accumulatively comes to around £330 monthly, with the payment being disbursed automatically every four weeks. Moreover, caregivers are eligible for a biannual supplement payment of £293.50, which translates to £587 annually. This payment is issued in addition to the base payment issued to the caregiver and brings with it significant benefits. Unlike the former Carer’s Allowance, the new benefit is more accessible as it has broadened the eligibility criteria to include carers in full-time education and removed some of the eligibility constraints to cater to the caregivers’ varying circumstances.
Eligibility Criteria
| Eligibility Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Age Requirement | Must be 16 years or older |
| Caregiving Hours | Provide unpaid care for over 35 hours per week to individuals with qualifying disability benefits |
| Income Limit | Receive less than £196 per week after deductions |
| Residency | Normally live in the UK and meet residence and immigration criteria |
| Education | Not engaged in full-time education (less than 21 supervised hours per week) |
| Care Provision | Care can be for anyone, regardless of cohabitation or relation; only one carer eligible if care is joint |
| Tax and Benefits Impact | Payment is tax-exempt and does not add to capped benefits |
Shift from Carer’s Allowance to Carer Support Payment
In Scotland, individuals who are currently in receipt of Carer’s Allowance will be moved to the new Carer Support Payment automatically by the spring of 2025, with guidance messages from DWP and Social Security Scotland informing them of the process. The new scheme is more comprehensive and better aligns with Scottish benefits and supports the carer’s needs more holistically. For carers who move from Scotland to England or Wales, claimants have to alert the relevant bodies and will likely have to switch from Carer Support Payment to Carer’s Allowance and vice versa.
Increased Earnings Limit and Financial Impact
Due to the understanding of the requirement to juggle part-time employment alongside caregiving, the earnings threshold for carers to qualify for support has increased to £196 as of April 2025.
