Hundreds of thousands of carers in Scotland are being left “out of pocket” because they do not qualify for covid-19 government support.

Last week the Scottish Government promised 78,000 family carers who get Carer’s Allowance a one-off top-up of £230.10 in June.

This works out as just one in ten of Scotland’s estimated 800,000 carers because most fall foul of strict eligibility criteria set by the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP).

A recent survey found eight in ten carers across the UK were spending more due to lockdown.

DWP rules mean only people who earn less than £123 a week or do not receive certain benefits, including a pension, receive the Carer’s Allowance benefit.

One mum, who wishes to remain anonymous, told healthandcare.scot she spends more than 60 hours a week helping her two sons.

The youngest, aged 16, has cerebral palsy and Asperger’s, while his brother, who is 19, lives with kidney failure, a rare genetic disorder, a learning disability, and autism.

But she does not quality for Carer’s Allowance and the top up payment because her own health concerns mean she is on Employment and Support Allowance.

“I want our role to be recognised as work, not a woman's role,” she said.

“£240 would help us, I could not worry about food or heating – it keeps me awake.

“We also have no care – it was withdrawn full stop.

"We have a more difficult lockdown than most.”

Claire Cairns, of the Coalition of Carers in Scotland, said: “Covid-19 has had a disproportionate impact on unpaid carers as they continue to look after shielded and vulnerable people, often without the support they previously relied on.

“Many people who were already financially disadvantaged by their caring role, have found their income has reduced further while their household costs have increased.”

She welcomes the extra support from the Scottish Government but wants it to be extended to other groups such as older carers, who do not get support if they have state pension.

Carers representative Peter Burke, who lives in Angus and falls into this group, said: “Whilst the government support of unpaid carers who receive Carers Allowance is welcomed, it still leaves some 730,000 unpaid carers out of pocket.

“Pensioners who are in receipt of their full state pension are excluded, and it is these elderly carers who will be most affected.

“Many on an already tight budget will have the burden of caring for a loved one who have suddenly been deprived of resource centres, lunch clubs, and other social activities which provide refreshments and hot food.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We absolutely value the support provided by unpaid carers. They are dealing with pressures that are already great, and will be experiencing added stress at this time.

“Creating a brand new benefit for carers or extending eligibility for Carer’s Allowance Supplement would take several months as a minimum, and require significant resources from the Department for Work and Pensions, Social Security Scotland, and social security staff within Scottish Government, to develop new processes, build new systems and pass new regulations.

“Using Carer’s Allowance Supplement is the only way to get money to carers quickly.

“Around 83,000 unpaid carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance, who are earning less than £128 a week, and providing care for more than 35 hours weekly, will receive the Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement, an additional investment of £19.2m.

“This means that a carer in receipt of Carer’s Allowance in Scotland will receive an additional £690.30 this year more than carers elsewhere in the UK.

“Urgent financial support for unpaid carers who are not in receipt of Carer’s Allowance is available from the Scottish Welfare Fund, to which we have committed an additional £45m, more than doubling its value.”

 

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