Carer's Allowance Supplement

This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales

What is Carer's Allowance Supplement

Carer's Allowance Supplement is a payment for people who live in Scotland and get Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on a set date.

Carer's Allowance Supplement is paid twice a year by Social Security Scotland.

Who gets Carer's Allowance Supplement

You'll get Carer's Allowance Supplement if, on the 'qualifying date', you live in Scotland and:

  • get a payment of Carer's Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or

  • get a payment of Carer Support Payment from Social Security Scotland.

There's no need to apply for Carer's Allowance Supplement - you should be paid automatically.

In some cases, you can apply for Carer's Allowance Supplement if you live in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

The qualifying date

There is 1 qualifying date every 6 months. The qualifying dates in 2024 are:

  • Monday 8 April

  • Monday 7 October.

You do not have to get Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment for the whole 6 months, just on the qualifying date.

If you were entitled to Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on the qualifying date but were not actually getting any payments because you got another benefit instead, you will not get Carer's Allowance Supplement. This is sometimes called having an 'underlying entitlement' to Carer's Allowance or to Carer Support Payment.

If you were not getting Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on the qualifying date

If you were not getting Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on the qualifying date but are later given a backdated payment covering that date, you are then eligible for Carer's Allowance Supplement.

If your backdated award was made more than 5 weeks after the latest qualifying date, you're likely to get your first payment at the same time as the next payments are made. This could be up to 6 months later.

For example, you claim Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on 15 December and ask for your claim to be backdated to 1 October, as this is when you started caring. The DWP or Social Security Scotland do not decide on your claim until more than 6 weeks after the October qualifying date. You are awarded Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment from 1 October, and you get a backdated payment. You can now get the October payment of Carer's Allowance Supplement. It is paid to you at the same time as your Carer's Allowance Supplement payment for the following April.

If you got Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on the qualifying date but find out that you should not have

If you got Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on the qualifying date, you'll be paid Carer's Allowance Supplement. But if you find out later that you should not have got Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on that date, you should not have got Carer's Allowance Supplement either. This might happen if you earned more money than usual and were not eligible for Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment at that time.

Social Security Scotland have said they will not usually ask people who have been overpaid to repay Carer's Allowance Supplement. But they might do in some cases, for example if they made a mistake and paid you a lot more money than they should have.

If you get Carer's Allowance

The DWP will tell Social Security Scotland who lives in Scotland and gets Carer's Allowance on each qualifying date. If you're not on the DWP list, you will not get Carer's Allowance Supplement automatically.

It does not matter where the person you care for lives. Your eligibility is based on where you live.

If you expect to get Carer's Allowance Supplement but do not, contact Social Security Scotland. If they tell you that you do not live in Scotland and you do not agree, get advice.

If you live in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland

You can still get Carer's Allowance Supplement in some cases, as long as you get Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment on the qualifying date.

The UK must be responsible for paying your benefits, and you must have a 'genuine and sufficient' link to Scotland.

This means that if you live outside Scotland but would otherwise be entitled to Carer's Allowance Supplement, you can get it as long as you meet all the other conditions.

You have to apply for Carer's Allowance Supplement - it won't be paid automatically.

You can apply for Carer's Allowance Supplement from outside Scotland on mygov.scot.

How much is Carer's Allowance Supplement

Carer's Allowance Supplement for 2024 is £288.60.

The payment is a lump sum that covers a 6-month period, either:

  • April to September or

  • October to March.

It does not matter how much Carer's Allowance or Carer Support Payment you get - the amount of Carer's Allowance Supplement is the same.

When Carer's Allowance Supplement is paid

You should get a letter before your Carer's Allowance Supplement payment telling you when you'll be paid. 

If you're eligible on the first qualifying date in April, you'll be paid Carer's Allowance Supplement in June. 

If you're eligible on the second qualifying date in October, you'll be paid Carer's Allowance Supplement in December.

The payment will be made in the same way as your Carer's Allowance is paid.

If you are not paid Carer's Allowance Supplement

If you get a letter saying that you'll get Carer's Allowance Supplement but the payment is not made, contact Social Security Scotland using the contact details on the letter.

Keep a record of when you contact them, for example details of when you phoned and who you spoke to, or a copy of the letter you sent. It's normally better to contact them in writing, so the record of what you said is clear.

If you think you should get Carer's Allowance Supplement but do not get a letter, contact Social Security Scotland.

Social Security Scotland

Carer's Allowance Supplement

PO Box 10302

Dundee

DD1 9FX

Tel: 0800 182 2222

If you're a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use the contactSCOTLAND app to contact Social Security Scotland by video relay.

If you're not happy with their response, you cannot appeal unless you applied from outside Scotland. You can contact your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

How Carer's Allowance Supplement affects other benefits

Carer's Allowance Supplement is normally ignored when working out the amount of any other benefits or tax credits that you get. It's also ignored when working out the amount of your Council Tax Reduction.

Some benefits are affected by the amount of your savings. If you already have some savings, getting a backdated payment of Carer's Allowance Supplement might affect the amount of these benefits.

If you're unsure if your other benefits are affected, get advice.

How Carer's Allowance Supplement affects income tax

Carer's Allowance Supplement, like Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment, is a taxable benefit. This means you might have to pay more income tax because you get the supplement.

Read more about getting tax advice.

More information

Read more about Carer's Allowance Supplement on mygov.scot.

Social Security Scotland should be able to answer questions about Carer's Allowance Supplement.

Social Security Scotland

Carer's Allowance Supplement

PO Box 10302

Dundee

DD1 9FX

Tel: 0800 182 2222

If you're a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use the contactSCOTLAND app to contact Social Security Scotland by video relay.