Thousands of unpaid carers to receive £587 in extra payments this year (2025)

People making a new claim for Carer Support Payment before April will qualify for the first payment of £293.50 before summer.

The Scottish Government recently confirmed unpaid carers in Scotland will receive extra payments worth a total of £587 by the end of 2025.

As part of the annual benefits uprating exercise, Carer’s Allowance Supplement will increase from £288.60 to £293.50 for the 2025/26 financial year, a rise of £4.90 (1.7%).

More than 89,000 people on Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment received the Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment in December.

Carer Support Payment has now replaced all new claims for Carer’s Allowance in Scotland, with existing claimants still on the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) delivered benefit, due to move to the devolved system by this Spring.

The Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an automatic payment only available to people in Scotland to recognise the important contribution they make. The payments are administered by Social Security Scotland and made separately from Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment.

The Scottish Government also confirmed Carer Support Payment will rise by 1.7 per cent from £81.90 to £83.30, some £333.20 every four week pay period. The weekly earnings threshold will also rise in-line with the DWP, from £151 to £196 - equivalent to 16 hours at the National Minimum Wage.

To qualify for the next payment in June, people need to be in receipt of either Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment on the qualifying date in April. Social Security Scotland have not announced when this will be - it was Monday, April 8 last year - and could potentially be Monday, April 14 this year.

If you, or someone you know, is providing at least 35 hours of unpaid care for a friend, family member or neighbour, and not claiming Carer Support Payment, you could be missing out on nearly £5,000 this year.

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 £151 a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses (rising to £196 from April)

The person you care for must already get one of these benefits:

• Adult Disability Payment - daily living component at the standard or enhanced rate
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - daily living component
• Child Disability Payment - the middle or highest care rate
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - the middle or highest care rate
• Attendance Allowance
• Pension Age Disability Payment (PADP)
• Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension
• Armed Forces Independence Payment

Guidance on mygov.scot explains: “If you get Carer Support Payment, it will not affect the qualifying benefit the person you care for gets. But it could affect other benefits that you and the person you care for get. If you live with a partner, it could also affect their benefits.”

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.