Carer support payment pilot opens to applicants today

The pilot phase of the new carer support payment for carers in Scotland has opened to applications today.

Unpaid carers in Perth and Kinross, Dundee City and Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles) are the first to be able to apply for the new payment, which will replace carer’s allowance, currently delivered by the Department for Work & Pensions, in Scotland.

Carers in more local authority areas will be able to apply from spring next year as part of the phased rollout. The benefit will be available nationally, to an estimated 80,000 carers, by autumn 2024.

Carer support payment was designed with carers to offer them a better experience than carer’s allowance. This includes providing information to carers to help them access wider support, and extending the eligibility criteria to let full time students apply. Around 1,500 more people across Scotland are expected to be eligible for carer support payment as a result. The Scottish Government says it has also made it easier to apply.

Learnings from the pilot phase will be used to shape the wider rollout of the benefit. Carers in Scotland who get carer’s allowance will have their awards transferred to carer support payment, starting from February next year.

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: "A huge amount of work has been done to create a benefit and system that better meets the needs of carers who play a vital role in the lives of the people they look after and their community. This pilot phase allows us to put our new approach into practice, learning and improving ahead of the benefit beginning its phased rollout from spring next year.

"I urge anyone in the pilot areas who thinks they might be eligible for carer support payment to check if they are entitled and if so, apply. Carers living in other parts of Scotland who think they may be eligible should still apply for carer’s allowance."