After you apply for Carer Support Payment

After you submit your application, Social Security Scotland might contact you if they need more information. They might ask you to send some documents to support your application.

You can find more information about this in how to apply.

Social Security Scotland will send you a letter once they’ve made a decision about your application. They’ll make a decision after they review:

• your completed application 
• all the documents they need from you, or your appointee

If you or your partner get income-related benefits

Social Security Scotland may contact you if you or your partner get any of these benefits:

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit

This is because Carer Support Payment could reduce the amount you get from those 4 benefits.

If you live with a partner and you start getting Carer Support Payment, it could also reduce the amount they get from those 4 benefits.

This is because Carer Support Payment is counted as income for those benefits. And you can only get those 4 benefits if your household income is below a certain amount. But you can get extra amounts from those benefits if you’re a carer.

If you’re awarded Carer Support Payment, Social Security Scotland will work with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) who’ll adjust the amount you or your partner get from those 4 benefits. DWP cannot adjust your benefits or your partner’s benefits straight away. This means DWP might overpay you or your partner and then ask for some money back.

Social Security Scotland can reduce your first payment of Carer Support Payment. This means you and your partner would not need to pay money back to DWP.

The application form for Carer Support Payment asks if you’d like Social Security Scotland to reduce your first payment so you and your partner do not have to pay money back to DWP. If you do not consent to this, Social Security Scotland can pay your first payment of Carer Support Payment in full. You or your partner may then have to pay money back to DWP for any overpayment of those 4 benefits.

If you disagree with a decision

The letter you get from Social Security Scotland will tell you what to do if you disagree with their decision. 

You can ask them to look at their decision again. This is called requesting a redetermination or appeal.

If you want to do this, you can ask for help from:

• Social Security Scotland
• a friend or family member
• a support organisation, like Citizens Advice Scotland
• your local carer centre

If you no longer want to apply 

Contact Social Security Scotland and ask them to withdraw your application. You can only do this if Social Security Scotland has not yet made a decision about your application.  

You can make a new application for Carer Support Payment later if you want to.

If you have any questions, including about your decision, contact Social Security Scotland.