This week marks Carers Week and Social Security Scotland is encouraging young people aged 16, 17 or 18, to check if they are eligible for the Young Carer Grant, an annual payment worth £359.65. The devolved benefit is for young people who spend an average of 16 hours each week caring for someone with a health condition who is in receipt of a disability benefit.
The payment increased from £326.65 to £359. 65 in April as part of the annual uprating. The Scottish Government increased all devolved benefit payments in-line with the 10.1 per cent uprating applied to State Pension and most benefits delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
The Scottish Government introduced the Young Carer Grant in October 2019 to help young people with caring responsibilities. The payment can be claimed by youngsters in school, in further education, employed or unemployed once a year as long as long as they remain eligible.
A new tweet from Social Security Scotland urges young people with caring responsibilities to find out more information about the benefit. It said: "Young Carer Grant is now £359.65, a yearly payment available for 16, 17 or 18-year-olds who spend an average of 16 hours a week caring for someone who gets a disability benefit."
What is the Young Carer Grant?
The Young Carer Grant is a yearly payment of £359.65 for young people in Scotland only. To be able to get the payment, you must be 16, 17 or 18 years old.
Who is eligible for the payment?
If you are a young carer, you might be looking after:
- Someone in your family
- A friend
- A neighbour
If you're caring for a parent or someone with children, you might also look after a brother, sister or young child.
What counts as caring for someone?
You might be caring for someone if you:
- Help them with their mental health
- Give them emotional support
- Help them during an illness
- Support them with a disability
- Support them if they have an addiction
If they need help with their mental health, or support with how they're feeling, you might:
- Comfort them during a panic attack
- Stay close by so they do not feel alone
- Help them through a crisis
- Check on them throughout the day
- Make sure they're safe
- Keep them company
If they have an illness or disability, you might:
- Help them to get around
- Dress them
- Give them (or remind them to take) any medicines they need
- Help them to shower or use the toilet
- Cook their meals for them
- Do their food shopping
- Translate for them
The guidance on mygov.scot states that if you do any of these things for up to three people most days a week, or every day, then it's likely you are a young carer. You can view examples of what a young carer might doe each day here.
The person you care for and their benefits
The person or people you care for must have been getting one or more of these benefits for at least the last three months:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - daily living component
- Adult Disability Payment - daily living component
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - middle or highest care rate
- Disability Living Allowance for Children - middle or highest care rate
- Child Disability Payment - middle or highest care rate
- Attendance Allowance
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Constant Attendance Allowance
If a person you care for gets Constant Attendance Allowance, they need to be getting either:
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit - at or above the normal maximum rate, or
- War Disablement Pension - at the basic rate
How to apply for the Young Carer Payment
Eligible young carers can apply online at mygov.scot or by calling 0800 128 2222 - call centre opening times are Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. Lines will be closed on Good Friday (April 7) and Easter Monday (April 10).
Before applying, you should have:
- Your National Insurance number
- Your bank details
- Details of the person you care for, including their National Insurance number, if you know it
Find out more about the grant here.
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