Your other benefits
If you're awarded Carer Support Payment, it may help you get more money from other benefits.
You can get an extra amount from any of the following benefits if you get Carer Support Payment.
Get an extra amount from these benefits
- Universal Credit – learn more at GOV.UK
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance – learn more at GOV.UK
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance – learn more at GOV.UK
- Income Support – learn more at GOV.UK
- Pension Credit – learn more at GOV.UK
- Council Tax Reduction – learn more at GOV.UK
- Housing Benefit – learn more at GOV.UK
Being awarded Carer Support Payment may also help you get Tax Free Childcare.
And you may get National Insurance credits.
If you get any of the following benefits, it could reduce the amount you get from Carer Support Payment.
Benefits that reduce Carer Support Payment
- State Pension – learn more at GOV.UK
- Maternity Allowance – learn more at GOV.UK
- New Style Employment and Support Allowance – learn more at GOV.UK
- New Style Jobseeker’s Allowance – learn more at GOV.UK
- Incapacity Benefit – learn more at GOV.UK
- Severe Disablement Allowance – learn more at GOV.UK
- Widowed Parent’s Allowance – learn more at GOV.UK
- Unemployability Supplement (paid with War Pension)
- Unemployability Supplement (Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit - learn more at GOV.UK)
- War Pension Scheme: War Widows or War Widowers Pension – learn more at GOV.UK
- War Pension (Additional allowance for spouse element)
- Industrial Death Benefit
- Training Allowance - this is money the government or local council pays you to help cover your living expenses if you're on certain training schemes
You cannot get one of those benefits and the full amount of Carer Support Payment at the same time. This is because they're 'overlapping benefits'. They're all designed to give you an income.
Some people are awarded Carer Support Payment with a payment amount of £0. This still helps you get more from other benefits because you're recognised as a carer.
If you get a private pension, this will not affect your eligibility for Carer Support Payment.
Refer to the following examples of how overlapping benefits can affect Carer Support Payment.
The full amount of Carer Support Payment is £83.30 a week.
If you get less than £83.30 a week from an overlapping benefit
In this example:
- you get £60 a week from an overlapping benefit, such as Incapacity Benefit
- you get awarded Carer Support Payment because Social Security Scotland recognise your role as a carer
In this example, you would not get the full £83.30 from Carer Support Payment.
You’d get the £60 a week from your Incapacity Benefit, plus £23.30 a week from Carer Support Payment.
Giving you a total of £83.30 a week.
If you get more than £83.30 a week from an overlapping benefit
In this example:
- you get £100 a week from an overlapping benefit
- you get awarded Carer Support Payment because Social Security Scotland recognise your role as a carer
In this example, you'd get £0 from Carer Support Payment. This is because your overlapping benefit pays you more than £83.30 a week.
But you may be able to get more from other benefits because you're recognised as a carer.
If you get State Pension
In this example:
- you get more than £83.30 a week from State Pension
- you get awarded Carer Support Payment because Social Security Scotland recognise your role as a carer
In this example, you'd get £0 from Carer Support Payment. This is because State Pension pays you more than £83.30 a week.
If you get less than £83.30 a week from State Pension, you may still get paid some Carer Support Payment.
Changes you need to tell Social Security Scotland about
You need to tell Social Security Scotland if you get Carer Support Payment and:
- you start getting an overlapping benefit
- the amount you get from an overlapping benefit changes
- you stop getting an overlapping benefit
Overlapping benefits are the only benefits Social Security Scotland take into account when they work out how much Carer Support Payment you can get.
Learn how to tell Social Security Scotland about a change.
Other support for carers
Whether or not you get Carer Support Payment, there's other help and support you may be able to get.
Learn more about other support for carers.
If you live with a partner
Your partner’s income or benefits do not affect your eligibility for Carer Support Payment. Or how much Carer Support Payment you can get.
Your Carer Support Payment may affect some of their benefits.
Learn more about how Carer Support Payment can affect other benefits.