Help spread the word on financial help for student carers
As students head back to college and university for the new academic year, unpaid carers in education are being encouraged to check what financial help they could be entitled to.
The type of help carers provide includes emotional, mental or physical support for a family member, friend or neighbour. But many students don’t recognise themselves as a carer, which could mean they are missing out on extra money to help as they balance caring with their studies.
Social Security Scotland delivers four payments which are available to student carers.
Carer Support Payment is support for people providing 35 hours or more of care a week to someone getting certain disability benefits. The payment is available to students aged 20 or older studying any course, and students aged 16 to 19 studying part-time courses at any level or full-time for an advanced qualification such as HNC, HND or a degree.
Full-time students under the age of 20 may still be eligible for Carer Support Payment. Find out more about eligibility.
Those who are eligible for Carer Support Payment will also be entitled to Scottish Carer Supplement, an extra payment that is made alongside Carer Support Payment.
Carer Additional Person Payment is a new payment introduced in March this year, providing extra money to those who get Carer Support Payment and care for more than one person.
Young Carer Grant is an annual payment of over £400 for young carers aged 16, 17, 18 or 19. It is available to young people who spend at least 16 hours a week caring for one or more people who receive a disability benefit. Young Carer Grant can’t be paid at the same time as Carer Support Payment.
Louise Martin, Senior Widening Access Support Officer at the University of Strathclyde, said: “Balancing the needs of a caring role with education can be difficult, but help is out there to ease some of the strain that student carers often face.
“Support from Social Security Scotland can help with some of the financial pressure, letting student carers focus their time and energy on lectures and assignments alongside their caring responsibilities. I urge all student carers to find out more about the financial help that’s available to them.”