Care provided to another person as part of a job or voluntary charity role
Carers are not eligible for Carer Support Payment where the care they provide is done as a job or as voluntary work for a charity or other not-for-profit organisation.1, 2
1Carer’s Assistance (Carer Support Payment)(Scotland) Regulations 2023, reg 5(4)(b)
Carers can be eligible where they have a job as a carer or volunteer as a carer, but where this paid or volunteer care is not for the person they are applying for Carer Support Payment for. The carer needs to be providing 35 hours or more a week of care for the person they are caring for that is not paid and not part of a contract or voluntary role.
Carers who are caring as a job or voluntary work can be entitled to Carer Support Payment where they are providing 35 hours of care to the cared for person in addition to any care they are paid for or providing as a voluntary worker.
Carers who are not providing 35 hours of care for the person they are caring for in addition to the care they are paid to provide, or are providing as part of a voluntary role would not be eligible. They would not meet the requirement of providing 35 hours of care which is not provided under a contract or part of a voluntary role.
Example 6 – carer provides care under a voluntary role, and for a different person
Shabnam volunteers with a local charity which provides care and companionship for older people. She regularly visits Fatima and carries out various caring activities with her and runs errands for her throughout the week. Although Fatima receives Pension Age Disability Payment, a qualifying disability benefit, Shabnam cannot get Carer Support Payment for looking after her, as the care she provides is part of her voluntary role.
However, Shabnam also provides care for her aunt Aisha, who receives Adult Disability Payment with the daily living component, a qualifying disability benefit, and this care is not done through the care charity. If Shabnam can show that the care she provides Aisha is ‘regular and substantial’ (i.e. at least 35 hours per week) then she can qualify for Carer Support Payment for providing this care.
Example 7 – carer provides care under a voluntary role, and in addition to the voluntary role, for the same person.
Derek volunteers one day a week for a befriending charity and is matched with Musa, who is receiving the enhanced daily living component of Adult Disability Payment. When Musa’s mother becomes too unwell to be Musa’s main carer, Derek steps in and starts providing care for Musa on other days as well. Derek then applies for Carer Support Payment. The client adviser asks Derek for more information about the amount of time spent caring for Musa over and above the one day per week befriending activity. Derek is able to show that he spends at least 35 hours per week providing care to Musa in addition to the day spent as part of his voluntary role. Therefore Derek is eligible for Carer Support.