Temporary stops in care during the first 26 weeks Carer Support Payment is in payment

In order to determine whether a carer can be paid for temporary stops in care during the first 26 weeks of their Carer Support Payment being in payment, the temporary stops in care requirements must be applied to any period the carer is claiming Carer Support Payment for, including backdated periods.

These requirements are that carers can only be paid CSP during temporary stops in care if they have:

• already provided at least 22 full weeks of care at 35 hours or more per week during the last 26 weeks if there have been no hospital-related stops in that time, or
• if they have already provided at least 14 full weeks of care at 35 hours or more per week in the last 26 weeks if hospital related stops in care have occurred.

This is because the maximum length of time a carer can temporarily stop providing care in any 26 week period – through a combination of hospital and non-hospital stops – and still get CSP is 12 weeks CSP Regs 40 (1)). Carers can continue to get CSP in some instances where they have temporarily stopped providing care. In any 26 week period, a carer can be paid CSP during stops in care of up to: 

• 4 weeks for any reason
• 12 weeks if they or the person they care for is in hospital or a similar institution

These weeks of care at 35 hours or more per week do not have to be consecutive but they do have to be full weeks and they must all have fallen within the last 26 weeks.

The carer does not have to have been in receipt of Carer’s Allowance or Carer Support Payment to have been providing full weeks of care at 35 hours or more per week in any given period.  If a temporary stop in care falls at the beginning of a Carer Support Payment award it is taken on trust that the care being declared in the previous 26 week period has been provided.

As part of the CSP application, carers will be asked to provide information on any temporary stops in care for the 6 months before the date they want their award to start, including for backdated awards.

If a carer has already provided the required number of full weeks of care at 35 hours or more per week in total by the date they want their award for CSP to begin any temporary stops in care during the backdated period should be treated in the same way as a temporary stop during the course of a CSP award.

If the carer reports a temporary stop in care in a backdated period or during the course of an award in the first 26 weeks of payment and has not provided the required number of full weeks of care before the temporary stop  they will have temporary stop in entitlement to CSP and will not receive any further payments until they report that they are providing care again. Their CSP payments could be reinstated through a Determination Without Application if they begin providing care again within 26 weeks of their payments stoppingCSP Regs 23(1)(c) and (2)).