Social Security Scotland has confirmed that tens of thousands of people receiving Carer's Allowance will receive a one-off payment of £288.60 on Friday 7 June.
The additional payment, known as the Carer's Allowance Supplement, is the Scottish Government's twice-yearly recognition of the invaluable contribution made by unpaid carers.
Eligibility and Payment Details
In order to benefit from this automatic payment in June, claimants must have received Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Carer's Allowance or new Scottish Social Security Carer's Payment before 8 April 2024.
Those who have made a claim for either benefit before this date and are awaiting a decision will receive payment retrospectively if their claim is successful.
This payment is administered by Social Security Scotland and is separate from the regular Carer's Allowance.
The next Carer's Allowance top-up payment is due in December and will be distributed to Carer's Allowance recipients by 7 October 2024, with the exact date to be confirmed later in the year.
In a statement issued on X, Social Security Scotland said: "The Carer's Allowance supplement will be paid on Friday 7 June.
The payment of £288.60 will be automatically transferred to people who were receiving Carer Support Payment or Carer's Allowance on 8 April 2024."
According to the latest DWP data, in August last year, 84,896 people were receiving Carer's Allowance.
Carer's Allowance Payment Switchover and Roll-out
Carer's Allowance, a new devolved benefit, will soon be available to unpaid carers across Scotland. This payment will gradually replace Carer's Allowance for current recipients of DWP benefit.
Implementation of Carer's Allowance began in November 2023 for residents of Dundee City, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles, with plans to extend to a further 10 areas this summer. The phased implementation will begin on 24 June, starting with North and South Lanarkshire and Angus.
Starting in August, it will be available in Fife, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray and North, East and South Ayrshire, and will be fully available across Scotland by November.
Current recipients of Carer's Allowance, paid by the DWP, will have their current allowances transferred to Social Security Scotland in instalments, ensuring continuity of payments.
Importantly, the DWP will continue to administer Carer's Allowance until the transition to Carer's Allowance is complete. The payment amount will remain constant at £81.90 per week, with no disruption or change to the weekly earnings threshold of £151 for 2024/25.
Carers switching from Carer's Allowance to Carer's Support Benefit will also have the option of receiving payments on a weekly basis, rather than the current four-week cycle.
For unpaid carers living in areas where Carer's Allowance is not yet available, they are encouraged to apply for Carer's Allowance to ensure they are not deprived of vital help.
Additionally, Carer's Allowance will be available to carers aged 16-19 who are in full-time 'advanced' training and those aged over 20 who are in full-time training at any level.
From 24 June, eligibility will be extended to certain carers aged 16-19 who are in full-time 'non-advanced' training, such as school.
The schedule for implementing the Carer Support Payment is as follows:
- Currently available in Perth & Kinross, Dundee City, and Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)
- June 24: North and South Lanarkshire, Angus
- August 19: Fife, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, and North, East, and South Ayrshire
- November 4: Available across Scotland
Special backdating rules have been introduced, allowing eligible carers to receive payments backdated from the date Carer Support Payment was first introduced in their area.
This helps to ensure carers are not deprived of payments to which they are entitled because they live in areas included in later phases of implementation.
In particular, the main beneficiaries of these retroactive payments are carers aged 16-19 who are in full-time 'advanced' training and those aged over 20 who are in full-time training at any level.
To receive fully backdated payments, carers must apply within 13 weeks of the benefit becoming available in their area.
The transfer of DWP benefits to Scottish Social Security began in February this year, and all benefits are expected to be transferred by spring 2025.
More information on Carer's Allowance is available on the Scottish Government website.