Overview of the Support Payment for Unpaid Carers
Welsh Ministers are awarding a one-off £500 payment to unpaid carers. The payment is being made in recognition of the increased financial pressures they have experienced during the pandemic, and to help with some of the additional costs they have incurred.
The payment is targeted towards those individuals who care for someone for at least 35 hours a week and have low incomes. The payment will be available to all eligible unpaid carers who were in receipt of Carers Allowance on 31 March 2022.
Eligibility for payments
A payment can be made under the scheme if the individual making the claim meets the conditions relating to registration, benefit entitlement and residency outlined below.
Registration Condition
An individual meets this condition if the local authority receives their registration form for the scheme by 5pm on 2nd September 2022.
Benefit Entitlement Condition
An individual meets this condition if they were receiving Carers Allowance on 31 March 2022, or if they were retrospectively awarded Carers Allowance for that date.
This condition is not satisfied if the individual has an underlying entitlement to Carers Allowance or only receives a carer premium within a means tested benefit.
Residency condition
Individuals registering for the payment must live in Wales. Individuals should register with the Authority where they live (not where the person they care for lives). This is because the funding allocations are based on how many people residing in each local authority area are in receipt of Carers Allowance.
Payment Condition
An individual meets this condition if they have not received a payment under this scheme previously.