Who may be affected if you apply

Carer Support Payment may affect:

your other benefits
the benefits of the person you provide care for
the benefits of your partner, if you live with them

Scottish Carer Supplement and Carer Additional Person Payment do not affect any benefits you or the person you care for get.

Before you apply

Before you apply for Carer Support Payment you should speak to:

the person you provide care for
your partner, if you live with them

The person you provide care for

If the person you care for gets a severe disability premium in their benefits, this will stop if you get Carer Support Payment. This applies to the following benefits:

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

Find out about disability premiums at GOV.UK.

They'll also need to let their local council know about your Carer Support Payment award if they get:

Housing Benefit
Council Tax Reduction

Contact your local council

Your partner - if you live with them

If your partner gets income-related benefits, these will be reduced by the amount you get from Carer Support Payment.

When you apply, you can ask us to reduce your first Carer Support Payment. This means your partner will not be overpaid.

After you're awarded

If your application for Carer Support Payment is successful, you should speak to:

your local council if you get Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction
the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), if you get income-related benefits

Contact your local council

The Department for Work and Pensions

If you get income-related benefits, Social Security Scotland will share information with DWP. But you should still tell DWP if you're awarded Carer Support Payment.

DWP will reduce your other benefits by the same amount as your Carer Support Payment if you get:

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

You can tell DWP about your Carer Support Payment award by:

calling 0800 328 5644
logging on to your Universal Credit account at GOV.UK

HMRC

If you’re employed and your income, including Carer Support Payment and Scottish Carer Supplement, goes above the personal tax allowance tell HMRC.

If you’re self-employed, you should include your Carer Support Payment and Scottish Carer Supplement in your self-assessment tax return.

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