Entitlement to Carer Support Payment

Individuals must:

• be 16 years old or over to be entitled to Carer Support Payment.

CSP regs, reg 4(1)

• Where an individual was born on 29 February, their birthday should be taken to fall on 28 February in a year which is not a leap year.

CSP regs, reg 4(2)

Individuals must:

• be providing regular and substantial carer to a cared for person whom a disability benefit is normally payable

CSP regs, reg 5(2)

To be treated as being regularly and substantially engaged in caring the individual must be providing, or likely to be providing, at least 35 hours of care per week for the cared for person.

CSP regs, reg 5(2)

Individuals must normally meet the following residence and presence criteria to be entitled to Carer Support Payment: 

• be ordinarily resident in Scotland
• be habitually resident in the Common Travel Area 
• not be subject to immigration control
• be present in the common travel area and have been present for at least 26 weeks in total out of the previous 52 weeks.

CSP regs, reg 6(1)(a)

CSP regs, reg 6(1)(b)

CSP regs, reg 6(1)(c)

CSP regs, reg 6(1)(d) and (e)

There are a number of special circumstances in which an individual will be treated as if they have met some or all of the residence and presence conditions. For more information, see the Residence and Presence Chapter. 

Individuals are not entitled to Carer Support Payment for any period where:

• they are entitled to Carer's Allowance for any cared for person
• they are entitled to the carer element of Universal Credit for a different cared for person
• they are entitled to Young Carer Grant

It is possible for a carer to be entitled to Carer Support Payment where they have previously been entitled to Young Carer Grant.

CSP regs, reg 12(1)(a)

CSP regs, reg 12(1)(b)

CSP regs, reg 12(1)(c)

CSP regs, reg 12(2)

Individuals aged 16 – 19 are not entitled to Carer Support Payment if:

• they are receiving full-time non-advanced education. An individual will be treated as receiving full-time education for any period in which they attend a course of education at a school or other educational establishment for 21 hours or more per week.

CSP regs, reg 13(1)

Individuals in full-time education are entitled to Carer Support Payment if:

• they are aged 16 and over and studying less than 21 hours per week (in line with Carer's Allowance rules)
• they are aged 16 to 19 and studying full-time advanced education in further (college) or higher (university) educational settings
• they are aged 20 or over, regardless of the hours studied or level of educational qualification
• they are aged 16 to 19 in full-time, non-advanced education and meet the ‘exceptional circumstances’ criteria. This group of students are able to receive certain reserved benefits in their own right due to adverse circumstances. This would be the case if one or more of the following apply:
  • they are without parental support
  • they are responsible for a child or qualifying young person (including foster parents)
  • they are receiving a disability benefit and have been assessed or treated as having a limited capability for work
  • in a couple, and their partner is not a student, or is a student and any of the above exceptions apply to them.

Individuals are not entitled to Carer Support Payment if: their earnings in respect of that award week exceed £196.

CSP regs, reg 14(1)

For more information on how to calculate earnings, see the Earnings Chapter.