When a Carer Support Payment application is made posthumously
Carer Support Payment can be backdated for up to 3 months, and more than three months where the qualifying disability benefit is backdated further. This is usually following an appeal decision. If a carer has been providing care throughout the application, re-determination and appeal process, they may have missed out on support that they were unable to apply for prior to the death of the cared for person. This is because a carer cannot receive Carer Support Payment until a qualifying benefit is in place.
If a cared for person dies whilst awaiting the outcome of a qualifying benefit decision, and their application is progressed to a positive conclusion, the carer can apply for Carer Support Payment. The carer will receive CSP for the care they provided before the death of the cared for person, and an 8 week run on of CSP which is payable following the death of the cared for person (where they continue to meet the other eligibility criteria during the 8 week run on period).
When a carer applies for Carer Support Payment, Social Security Scotland will normally issue a notification to the cared for person named on a CSP application. If the cared for person has died and a CSP application is being made posthumously, the notification will not be sent.
Example: Carer Support Payment is backdated
Charlie has been going through an appeal process for ADP. Mae has been providing care for him throughout the process. She has not been able to apply for CSP as Charlie did not have entitlement to a qualifying benefit.
Charlie dies on 3 November with his determination of entitlement pending. Mae is his Executor. She instructs Social Security Scotland to progress the application to its conclusion. Social Security Scotland determine that Charlie was entitled to ADP from 3 August. Mae is entitled to Carer Support Payment for the period 3 August to 4 November (the day after his death) and a backdated payment is made. Social Security Scotland pays this sum to Mae as Charlie’s Executor.
Mae makes a posthumous application for Carer Support Payment. Social Security Scotland award her CSP for the period 3 August to 30 December. This covers the period of Charlie’s eligibility for ADP, and the 8 week run on after Charlie’s death.