The Young Carer Grant is a yearly payment of £305.10 for young carers aged 16 – 18 years old who live in Scotland. It’s a cash benefit to spend as they choose and they can apply if they are at school, in further education, employed or unemployed. It is up to them what they choose to spend the money on.

Young carers may be eligible for Young Carer Grant if they meet all of the criteria below:

they live in Scotland
they are 16, 17 or 18 years old
they have been caring for one or more people for around 16 hours a week, for the last 3 months
the person or people they care for are receiving certain benefits
they are not being paid to care for someone (who is mentioned in the application) as part of their job
they are not helping care for the people who are mentioned in the application as a volunteer, for example as part of a care group or charity
they are not already getting Carer’s Allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), or Northern Ireland’s Carer’s Allowance

(Image caption: against a yellow background, in different shades of blue, text reading, “Young Carer Grant: A little something for those who give a lot. More than £300,” with application details (available below).)

However, as well as the grant, young carers are also eligible for extra non-cash benefits on their Young Scot card. They will get extra discounts at certain stores and venues, and other
exclusive benefits (including cinema tickets and one-off special events). They don’t have to be receiving the Young Carer Grant to access these benefits.

If it’s been a year since the young person had a payment, they should check if they are still eligible and apply again.

To apply or reapply, please visit the mygov.scot website.

Grant resources from Social Security Scotland, who manages the grant:

Young Carer Grant Factsheet
Young Carer Grant BSL Factsheet – Video
Young Carer’s sharing their experiences
Video chat with a Young Carer from Highlands
Graphics:
- yellow (visible above)
- information
- details

Social Security Scotland’s Young Carer Grant factsheets also come in a variety of different languages, which can be found via their online Stakeholder Resource Centre. They have also made their Guidance section available, which includes the guidance they use when making decisions on applications.

They also have a number of other benefits that may be of interest, including the guide to their benefits leaflet which covers all the benefits currently available from Social Security Scotland.

For further information, please contact Allan Robertson (Client Support Team Leader, Falkirk), by email: Allan.Robertson@socialsecurity.gov.scot

Alternatively, unpaid carers (including young carers) in the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire areas looking for support can contact the Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre: