When a payment can be made

Carer Support Payment should be paid every four weeks, in arrears (Carer Support Payment Regulations, Regulation 22).

This applies to all carers who make new applications for Carer Support Payment, except those who will receive Carer Support Payment under the Special Rules for Terminal Illness (SRTI), who should be offered the choice of being paid either every four weeks in arrears or weekly in advance.

Carer Support Payment can also be paid weekly in advance to carers whose benefits have transferred to Carer Support Payment from Carer’s Allowance and who were paid weekly in advance by the DWP.

This is so that those carers are not disadvantaged by having their benefits transferred to Carer Support Payment.  

Some carers who were paid by the DWP on a ‘3+1’ payment cycle, where they were paid one week in advance and three weeks in arrears, may also be paid Carer Support Payment weekly in advance where they chose this option before their benefits transferred (Carer Support Payment Regulations, Schedule 1, Part 2, paragraph 7).

Carers may be paid Carer Support Payment weekly in advance where they are terminally ill or they are caring for someone who is terminally ill.