Financial Support for Young Carers

What financial support is available for Young Carers?

We understand that managing finance as Young Carers and Student Carers can be complicated. Remember, LEAPS are here to help. You can call or email our named contact for Young Carers, Fi Das, if you have any questions or concerns at leaps@ed.ac.uk – we'd be happy to support you!

SAAS

All Scottish or eligible students should apply to SAAS to cover your tuition fees and for the relevant Student Bursary and Loans. See our student finance S6 blog for more detail.

You do not need to receive Carer’s Allowance for SAAS to recognise you as a carer.

For information on SAAS support for student carers, follow this link.

If the person you care for is an adult and financially dependent on you, you may be eligible for a Dependants' Grant.

The Dependants' Grant is based on the income of the adult person you care for. It does not need to be paid back. The maximum grant is £2640/year. This is in addition to the normal support of fees, loan and bursary.

If you are bringing up a child on your own, or caring for a sibling, you may be entitled to the Lone Parents' Grant. This grant does not need to be paid back, and is a maximum of £1305/year. The grant is income assessed.

If you are eligible for the Lone Parents' Grant you may also be eligible for the Lone Parents' Childcare Grant toward the cost of registered or formal childcare costs.

Young Carer Grant

The Scottish Government have a Young Carer Grant of £359.69/year, launched last year. You must fullfil certain eligibility criteria to receive this grant. You can read more about the grant and apply on the mygov website here.

Carer’s Allowance and Carers Allowance Supplement

Unfortunately, you cannot receive the Carer’s Allowance if you are in full-time education (more than 21 hours/week), even during the holidays.

You can find additional information about the Carer’s Allowance on the Gov.uk website and from Carers UK.

Carer Support Payment

Carer Support Payment is a new scheme that is being rolled out in Scotland. It is currently only available to those who live in Dundee, Perth and Kinross and the Western Isles, but will be available in other areas from Spring 2024 and 2025. We will update this page when it is available in South East Scotland. Unlike the Carer's Allowance, students studying at university or a HNC/HND at college will be eligible for this payment if they meet the other eligibility criteria.

Other support:

If you are a member of a local Young Carers Group (such as Care 4 Carers Edinburgh, Borders Carers Centre or Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Carers Centre) they may be able to help you access funding toward your course. If you're not already a member of your local Young Carers Group, we suggest getting in touch with them now to see what support is available.

Young Scot offer a free Young Carer's Package - from free movie tickets to discounts and opportunities like free First Aid Training! You can read more and apply on the Young Scot Website.

You can find other charitable grants on Turn2Us, and search by your postcode and circumstances, including the keyword 'carer'.

Citizens Advice have advice and financial information for carers, including help with living costs. For example, full-time students are exempt from paying council tax.

Your College or University may be able to provide bursary support or discretionary funds for students facing difficult circumstances or from low income families. You should contact the college or university directly through their named contact for carers or Student Support Services, for more detail. The LEAPS named contact for young carers (Fi Das) can help you find the best person to contact at your future college or university.