Application processing for Carer's Allowance Supplement

You must check a caller's identity before talking to them about their benefits.

A caller can get Carer’s Allowance Supplement if:

• they live in Scotland on the qualifying date, and
• they are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance on the same date

Applications from abroad

In certain circumstances, we will accept applications from abroad.

Underlying entitlement

A client may be entitled to Carer's Allowance but not getting a payment. This could be because they get another benefit.

This is called an underlying entitlement.

These clients will not get Carer's Allowance Supplement.

Backdated award

A client may also not get Carer’s Allowance on the qualifying date, but later receive a backdated award.

This means the client will get any Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment they were entitled to at the next scheduled payment date.

How to check if a client can get Carer's Allowance Supplement

1. Ask the client if they live in Scotland and receive Carer’s Allowance on a qualifying date.
   If they answer no, tell them they cannot get Carer’s Allowance Supplement.
   Explain that they need to live in Scotland and get Carer’s Allowance on a qualifying date, in order to get Carer’s Allowance Supplement.
   Ask the client if they want to know the qualifying dates. Then end the call.
   If they answer yes, check the caller's identity.
2. Open the client's record on Searchlight.
3. Check under ‘Address History’ tab if the client lived in Scotland on a qualifying date.
4. Check under 'Benefit' tab if the client was getting Carer’s Allowance on a qualifying date.
5. Tell the client if they may be eligible for Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

Next steps

You can:

• check the status of a Carer's Allowance Supplement payment
• send an enquiry to the Department for Work and Pensions

Carer’s Allowance is a non-contributory benefit. This means it does not rely on the client making National Insurance contributions to get it.

A client has underlying entitlement to Carer’s Allowance when they are entitled to it but instead they get a contributory benefit.

If a client is entitled to a contributory benefit, then this will take priority and they will get this instead of Carer’s Allowance. This means they will not be entitled to Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

Contributory benefits

These include:

• State Pension
• Contribution based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Contribution based Employment and Support Allowance
• Incapacity Benefit
• Maternity Allowance
• Bereavement Allowance
• Widowed Mother’s/Parent’s Allowance
• Widow’s Pension

The 2026-2027 Carer’s Allowance rates of benefit is £86.45 a week.

If a client gets more than £86.45 a week from a contributory benefit, they are paid this instead of Carer’s Allowance. This is because the contributory benefit takes priority.

A client will pay tax on Carer's Allowance Supplement if their income is above their Personal Allowance.

The standard Personal Allowance for the tax year 2025 to 2026 is £12,570.

Clients who pay income tax must tell HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) they are getting Carer's Allowance Supplement. If they do not, they may not pay enough tax.

Contacting HMRC

Clients can tell HM Revenue & Customs they are getting Carer’s Allowance Supplement at:

www.gov.uk/check-income-tax-current-year

Or they can use:

• webchat
• telephone
• textphone
• post

HMRC Contact details

If a client says they lived in Scotland on the Carer’s Allowance Supplement qualifying date, but did not receive the payment, check their address on the system.

We make payments based on the address information for the client or prospect that the Department for Work and Pensions shares with us through their systems.

If the client thinks that there is an error with their personal information, they need to contact the Department for Work and Pensions directly.

The client may become eligible for Carer’s Allowance Supplement if their information with the Department for Work and Pension changes. They will receive their payment automatically with the next set of payments.

For information on what to do if a client has had a change of address or other change of circumstances, seeing 'Reporting a change in circumstances' section.

To get Carer's Allowance Supplement, the client must be getting Carer's Allowance on the qualifying dates.

The payment date is the date when the client will receive Carer’s Allowance Supplement, if they’re eligible.

The Scottish Government set 2 dates each year.

We publish the exact payment date nearer the time.

When a client will be paid

The client will get the payment within 5 working days of the date on their award letter.

Backdated Carer's Allowance

A client may not get a payment because their Carer's Allowance is:

• suspended
• under appeal
• not yet granted

The Department for Work and Pensions may backdate a client's Carer's Allowance to a time that includes a qualifying date.

The client will get any Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment they were entitled to at the next possible payment date. This may mean they get 2 or more payments at once.

If a Carer’s Allowance Supplement client calls to say they've not been paid, you should:

• check the caller’s identity
• check to see when they should have been paid

If it’s been less than five working days since their payment due date

Tell the client they should be paid in this time period.

If it’s been more than five working days since their payment due date

Check the client's bank details. If we have the right details, tell the client to contact their bank to check their account.

If a client’s bank confirms they’ve not been paid

Complete the relevant referral template and send it to the Payment Exceptions Service team.

If the client has changed their bank account

We pay the Carer’s Allowance Supplement benefit into the same account the Carer’s Allowance is paid into. If the client has changed their bank details, they need to contact the Department for Work and Pensions.

We can't change bank details for Carer’s Allowance Supplement clients.

If the client has informed the Department for Work and Pensions of a change but we haven't received the update in time for the payment, you should take the client's details and ask your manager if it should be referred to the Payment Exceptions Service team.

If the client’s bank details are incorrect

You should not take bank details from the client. You should advise the client to contact the Department for Work and Pensions to change their bank details.

If the client needs to amend their bank details urgently, ask your manager for guidance before you refer the request by email to the Payment Exceptions Service team.

Record contact with the client

You should record any contact with the client in our systems.

You’ll also see comments from the PES or Finance teams or instructions if you need to call the client back or take any further action.

When a client tells us about a change in their circumstances you must ask them to tell the Department for Work and Pensions.

A change in circumstances can affect a client's right to Carer's Allowance.

We cannot give advice on eligibility for Carer's Allowance, this must come from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Examples of changes

A change of circumstances can be:

• starting or ending a job
• earning more money
• no longer being a carer
• taking a holiday
• going into hospital
• the person they care for taking a holiday or going into hospital
• the client has changed their bank account
• the client has a new address
• other personal information has changed

These are not the only reasons a client’s right to Carer’s Allowance could change.

If a client moves away from Scotland to another part of the UK, they will lose their right to Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

Clients who move to another country outside of the UK may still be eligible for Carer’s Allowance Supplement in certain circumstances.

The client must tell the Department for Work and Pensions if they want to change their bank account. We cannot change bank account details for Carer's Allowance Supplement payments.

Ask your manager first if you need to refer a case to the Payment Exceptions team or the Finance team.

Tell the Department for Work and Pensions about a change

The client is responsible for telling the Department for Work and Pensions about a change in their circumstances.

They can report a change at www.gov.uk/carers-allowance-report-change.

This takes around 10 minutes.

Or they can contact the Carer’s Allowance Unit by:

• telephone
• textphone
• post