Payment of Carer Support

This guidance relates to the payments for an individual who is entitled to Carer Support. It sets out the rules for payments of the components of Carer Support.

Carer Support replaced Carer Support Payment from Sunday 15 March 2026. Carer Support is one benefit consisting of three components (Carer Support regulations, regulation 3):

• Carer Support Payment, provides some income replacement for carers unable to take on education or paid work because of their caring role.
• Scottish Carer Supplement (Carer Support regulations, regulation 3), is replacing Carer’s Allowance Supplement in Scotland for those in receipt of Carer Support Payment and is awarded and paid automatically when an individual is paid Carer Support Payment.
• Carer Additional Person Payment (Carer Support Regulations, regulation 14B(1)) is additional support for carers who are caring for 20 hours (Carer Support Regulations, regulation 14B(3)) or more a week for additional cared for person(s) and also getting paid Carer Support Payment. The cared for person must also receive a qualifying disability benefit.