Seven years supporting Scotland’s young carers

Over 20,000 payments have been made since the benefit’s launch in 2019 up until March this year, proving almost £7.5 million in support for Scotland’s young carers.

Young Carer Grant, the only payment of its kind for young carers in the UK, helps eligible young carers with an annual payment of £405.10 to help them access life opportunities that are the norm for many other young people.

Last year, the Scottish Government expanded the payment’s eligibility to include 19-year-olds, meaning eligible young carers can now receive up to four payments of Young Carer Grant.

The payment is available for young carers aged 16 to 19 who care for someone receiving certain disability benefits for an average of 16 hours a week. To be eligible, they need to have been providing this care for at least the last 3 months. If the carer cares for more than one person, they can combine the hours of the people they care for to average 16 hours a week.

Eligible carers can get Young Carer Grant once a year, up until they turn 20, and need to fill in a new form or call us each year they want to apply. We’ll send reminders to apply for the following year to carers who select this option. Carers can only apply on or after their 16^th birthday, and the payment is not available to carers who get Carer Support Payment.

Help us spread the word about Young Carer Grant using our online resources: Young Carer Grant resources - Social Security Scotland