Currently living in an EEA country or Switzerland or Gibraltar

If you currently live in an EEA country or Switzerland or Gibraltar

Check which countries are included in the European Economic Area (EEA).

Assistance from Social Security Scotland

If you currently live in an EEA country or Switzerland or Gibraltar you may be able to apply for:

• Young Carer Grant
• Child Winter Heating Payment
• Carer’s Allowance Supplement 
• Carer Support Payment
• Child Disability Payment (but only the care component of this)
• Adult Disability Payment (but only the daily living component of this)
• Pension Age Disability Payment

You'll still need to meet the general eligibility rules to be able to get any of these. For example, you may need to be a carer or meet the age criteria.  

Some EEA countries do not have cold enough winters to qualify for Child Winter Heating Payment.

Additional rules

You do not need to have applied in the UK before you moved. 

You must be covered by the EU Withdrawal Agreement (unless you live in the Republic of Ireland or Gibraltar). 

You might be covered by the Withdrawal Agreement if you're:

• an EEA or Swiss national and you moved to the UK before 1 January 2021
• a UK national and you moved to an EEA Country or Switzerland before 1 January 2021
• you’re joining a family member who was in either the EEA country or the UK before 1 January 2021

If you need further information about your rights visit the GOV.UK page Withdrawal Agreement explainer for part 2: citizens’ rights. 

Ireland and Gibraltar have their own agreements with the UK Government. If you’re a British or Irish national and moved to Ireland from the UK you may be eligible regardless of when you moved.

If you’re any nationality living in Gibraltar and moved there from the UK you may also be eligible regardless of when you moved.

Residency

If you live in an EEA country, Switzerland or Gibraltar, Social Security Scotland need to ask about residency details to make a decision on your application.

Social Security Scotland may need to ask for some more details about:

• which country is responsible for paying you benefits (competent state)
• how long you’ve lived, and plan to live in the country (habitual residency)
• a ‘genuine and sufficient’ link to Scotland
• any pensions or benefits you may receive

Entitlement to Carer Support Payment, Pension Age Disability Payment, the daily living component for Adult Disability Payment or the care component for Child Disability Payment

Social Security Scotland need to check that the UK is your competent state. For example, you are employed in the UK. 

If you, or a relevant family member, get a pension or benefit from the UK or another state, this may impact whether you are entitled in the UK to:

• Carer Support Payment
• Pension Age Disability Payment
• the daily living component for Adult Disability Payment 
• the care component of Child Disability Payment 

Habitual residency

Social Security Scotland need to check that you have a settled purpose and have lived in your chosen European Economic Area country, Switzerland or Gibraltar for a reasonable time.

Genuine and sufficient link to Scotland

This is if you do not live in Scotland, but have a link to Scotland. For example, you spent a significant part of your life in Scotland.