What is Carer’s Allowance Supplement? How can I get it? How much will I receive? Carer’s Allowance Supplement is a benefit for those who receive Carer’s Allowance. Indeed, those eligible are likely taking care of someone. With this benefit, you could receive 2 payments yearly. Your Benefits will tell you all you must know about Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

What is Carer’s Allowance’s Supplement?

Carer’s Allowance Supplement is an extra payment for Scottish people receiving Carer’s Allowance. Indeed, it depends on the date on which individuals receive Carer’s Allowance. Furthermore, this benefit is paid twice yearly. It is paid to carers in Scotland, as it is paid by the Scottish government.

What date will Carer’s Allowance Supplement be paid 2022?

Carer’s Allowance consists of 2 payments of £245.70 for those who are eligible. Indeed, when you receive your Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments depends on when you are paid Carer’s Allowance.

Carer’s Allowance Supplement is paid twice a year. For 2022, the dates are as follows:

Can I get Carer’s Allowance Supplement?

A couple of things need to be true in order for you to receive Carer’s Allowance Supplement. More specifically, the following, you:

• Receive Carer’s Allowance payments on specific dates;
• Reside in Scotland on a specific date, or you currently have a ‘genuine and sufficient link’ to Scotland.

What are the specific dates? You may receive Carer’s Allowance payments on 11 April 2022. In this case, your Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments should arrive in June 2022.

You may have received Carer’s Allowance payments on 11 October 2021. However, you may also not have receive Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments in December 2021. In this case, your payments will be included in your June 2022 payments. 

How to apply to Carer’s Allowance Supplement

To receive Carer’s Allowance Supplement, you do not have to apply. Indeed, if you are eligible, you will be able to receive payments. You may not be receiving payments, but believe that you should be. If this is the case, you may contact Social Security Scotland.

You will need to apply if you reside outside of the UK. However, you will need to have a ‘genuine and sufficient’ link to Scotland. Furthermore, you will need to live in Gibraltar, Switzerland or a European Economic Area country. 

If you apply from abroad, Social Security Scotland will need to determine your eligibility to Carer’s Allowance. Indeed, to do so, they will need some residency information about your stay in Gibraltar, Switzerland, or a European Economic Area country.

Indeed, you may then apply by post. More specifically, in paper form. You will need to fill out the Carer’s Allowance Supplement (applying from abroad) application form. Then, the form will indicate where to send it. Furthermore, make sure that you have the right amount of postage for the letter. 

Can I apply over the phone?

You may also apply by phone. Indeed, you can contact Social Security Scotland from abroad. Do this on +44 (0)1382 931 000. However, you will be charged accordingly. For more details, check this with your phone provider.

Once you have someone on the phone, inform them that you would like to receive Carer’s Allowance Supplement. Then, inform them that you are making the call from abroad, and ask to be called back. Then, to complete your application, someone from Social Security Scotland should call you back.

The Social Security Scotland call center is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday through Friday. Furthermore, if you are a BSL (British Sign Language) user, you may contact them via video relay through the contactSCOTLAND app.

What documents will I need to provide?

You may need to send a number of documents in order to prove your residency to get Carer’s Allowance Supplement. Indeed, Social Security Scotland will inform you of what you need to send them. As such, make sure that you send copies of the documents, and not the originals, as originals may take a while to send back to you.

In order to confirm who you are, you can send a number of documents. More specifically, you will need to send a copy of one of the following documents:

• Identity photo card that includes the ‘PASS’ logo;
• Application registration card where the age is not disputed;
• European Economic Area or UK photo card provisional driving licence;
• UK armed forces identity card;
• European Economic Area, Non-European Economic Area or UK photo card full driving licence;
• European Economic Area national identity card;
• Non-European Economic Area, European Economic Area or UK signed passport.   

Then, you will need to confirm where you live to get Carer’s Allowance Supplement. To do so, you can send a copy of one of the following documents:

• A letter coming from a professional body. It needs to be no more than 6 months old, and on headed paper. It can come from a dentist, optician, doctor, charity, school or college;
• A letter coming from your own local authority. It needs to be no more than 6 months old. For example, this may be your Housing Benefit letter;
• An electoral voting card;
• Letters coming from a social worker;
• Statements from your building society or bank no more than 6 months old;
• The registration letter from your doctor;
• The award letter for one of your benefits, no more than 6 months old;
• A financial award support award letter from further or higher education, from the current academic year.

How can I send the documents to Social Security Scotland?

You may not be able to get the required documents. If this is the case, let Social Security Scotland know. You can call them from abroad on +44 (0)1382 931 000. If you were able to get the necessary documents, you will need to send them to Social Security Scotland.

Indeed, when sending post from outside the UK, you need to check that you are using the appropriate amount of postage. Furthermore, make sure than you send copies. If you send originals, it may take as long as 2 weeks in order to get the documents back to you. This may be even longer depending on where you live.

You will need to to write the following on the copies of your documents:

• If you know what it is, your National Insurance number;
• Your full name;
• Date of birth;
• Social Security Scotland assistance name (this is in order to let them know what benefit you want to apply for).

Then, you can send the copies of your documents to the following address:

Social Security Scotland PO Box 10302 Dundee DD1 9GN

Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement: am I eligible?

Because of Coronavirus, you may be able to receive the Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement. Indeed, you do not even have to apply for this extra payment. If eligible, you will be able to receive it automatically. In order to qualify, both of the following conditions need to apply:

• You lived in Scotland on 11 October 2021, or had a ‘genuine and sufficient link’ to Scotland on that date;
• On 11 October 2021, you were receiving Carer’s Allowance.

If you qualify, you should receive payments. Indeed, Social Security Scotland will make the payments in the same account that they pay your Carer’s Allowance. Indeed, most people will have been able to receive the payments during December 2021.

How much is Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement?

How much could you get with this benefit? Well, if you could receive up to £462.80. Indeed, it consists of two things:

• The Standard Carer’s Allowance Supplement of £231.40;
• The Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement of £231.40.

Normally, you should receive a letter from Social Security Scotland before receiving payments. Indeed, you may also be able to receive payments from backdating your claim. If this is the case, you would be able to receive a different amount.

Again, getting this benefit requires no input from you. Indeed, you are not required to Contact Social Security Scotland in order to receive this. If you are eligible, you will get a letter from Social Security Scotland informing you of this.