Carer Additional Person Payment

This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales

What is Carer Additional Person Payment

Carer Additional Person Payment is a benefit for unpaid carers in Scotland who care for more than one person.

It’s £10 per week and will be paid at the same time as your Carer Support Payment.

It’s paid by Social Security Scotland.

Who can get Carer Additional Person Payment

You can get Carer Additional Person Payment if you:

  • get Carer Support Payment for a primary cared-for person

  • give at least 20 hours of regular and substantial care a week to an additional cared-for person.

The person you're caring for must get one of the following benefits, called 'qualifying benefits':

  • the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment

  • the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

  • the middle or highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment

  • the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

  • the middle or highest rate of the care component of Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

  • Pension Age Disability Payment

  • Attendance Allowance

  • Armed Forces Independence Payment

  • Constant Attendance Allowance - at or above the normal maximum rate with Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

  • Constant Attendance Allowance - at or above the basic (full-day) rate with a War Disablement Pension.

If you care for 3 people or more

If you get Carer Support Payment for a primary cared-for person, you can get Carer Additional Person Payment for each additional cared-for person you give the required care to.

Can your hours of care overlap

The 20 hours of care you need to give to get Carer Additional Person Payment can be given at the same time as the care you give to:

  • the primary cared-for person - this is the person you get Carer Support Payment for

  • any other additional cared-for people.

Example

Lisa’s dad has Alzheimer's and her mum has muscle weakness and problems with mobility after a stroke. Lisa’s parents both get Pension Age Disability Payment.

Lisa spends 40 hours a week looking after both her mum and dad at the same time. Her dad needs almost constant supervision. Lisa helps her mum with personal care while also watching out for her dad.

She can get Carer Support Payment for her dad and Carer Additional Person Payment for her mum.

If 2 carers care for the same additional cared-for person

You can get Carer Additional Person Payment if another carer gets a different carer benefit for the same cared-for person.

You cannot get Carer Additional Person Payment if someone else gets it for the same cared-for person.

How much Carer Additional Person Payment you can get

Carer Additional Person Payment is £10 per week. You’ll get a payment for each additional person you give at least 20 hours of regular and substantial care to per week.

You can add up to 3 additional cared for people in an online application. If you want to add more than 3 additional cared for people, you must phone Social Security Scotland.

When is Carer Additional Person Payment paid

You’ll be paid Carer Additional Person Payment at the same time as your regular Carer Support Payments.

Carer Additional Person Payment and Carer Support Payment will show as one payment in your bank account.

Getting your Carer Additional Person Payment backdated

You can get Carer Additional Person Payment backdated if you were eligible. Ask for the payment to be backdated when you apply.

The earliest you can have the payment backdated to is 15 March 2026 when it became available.

To do this, you need to tell Social Security Scotland about the additional people you care for by 20 June 2026.

You can’t have Carer Additional Person Payment backdated to a date before you got Carer Support Payment.

How to apply for Carer Additional Person Payment

How you apply for Carer Additional Person Payment depends on whether you already get Carer Support Payment.

If you already get Carer Support Payment you can fill in a change of circumstances form. Find out how to report a change of circumstances to Social Security Scotland on mygov.scot.

If you're applying for Carer Support for the first time, find out how to apply for carer benefits on mygov.scot.

Get help to apply

You can get help to apply from:

Or you can get help to apply for Carer Support on mygov.scot. This includes if you want to apply in a language that's not English.

You can also fill in a form to authorise someone to speak to Social Security Scotland on your behalf. This might be helpful if you feel unable to find the information you need or understand things about your application. You can download a third-party authorisation form on mygov.scot.

Get help from an advocate

You might be able to get help from advocacy.scot to speak to Social Security Scotland. Advocacy.scot is an independent advocacy service provided by Advice Direct Scotland.

You can get an advocate to help you express your views, get the information you need and make decisions.

You can get an advocate by:

Getting a decision

Once you've applied, you'll get updates on the progress of your application.

A decision will be sent to you by post. A decision is called a determination.

If your application is successful, the money will be paid into the bank, building society or credit union account that you chose when you applied.

If Social Security Scotland decide that you're not entitled to Carer Support, they'll send you a letter explaining why.

If you do not agree with the decision

You can ask Social Security Scotland to look again at the decision about your Carer Support application. This is called asking for a re-determination.

Find out more about challenging a Social Security Scotland decision.

If your circumstances change

You must tell Social Security Scotland about any changes that might affect your benefit, for example, if:

  • your personal or contact details change, like your name or address

  • you stop providing care – this includes temporary breaks

  • there are changes in your employment, earnings or deductions

  • there are changes to a course you're studying, for example you become a student or change course

  • there are changes to your benefits or the benefits of the person you care for

  • the number of people you care for changes

  • you or the person you care for have a terminal illness

  • you leave the Common Travel Area.

Find out more about how a change of circumstances can affect your Carer Support.