Scottish ministers are seeking views on how the new Scottish Carers Assistance benefit can be introduced to offer carers more than the current Carers Allowance, as responsibility for the benefit moves from the UK Department of Work and Pensions to Social Security Scotland.

The Scottish government says that it wants to improve the service that carers receive by offering wider support for employability, education and bereavement as well as increasing the amount of financial support on offer.

The benefit will support people providing 35 hours a week or more of care to people who are receiving particular disability benefits, and make extra payments to those caring for more than one person.

Data published by the Scottish government last summer showed nearly 82,000 people were eligible to receive Carers Allowance Supplement payments – additional twice-yearly payments which were launched by Scottish ministers in September 2018 to augment carers allowance.

Scottish government says their plans, drawn together with input from carer organisations, are aimed at delivering “an improved benefit from the start, linking carers to wider services and making support available when the person they care for is challenging a change to their disability benefits.”

Scotland Social Security Minister, Ben Macpherson MSP says the government wants to go beyond simply improving financial support:

“Caring for a loved one can be a positive and life changing experience but also presents many challenges.

“We will deliver Scottish Carer’s Assistance in a compassionate and considerate way, linking carers to wider services.

“When we have introduced our new benefit, and safely and securely transferred people from Carer’s Allowance to Scottish Carer’s Assistance, we intend to make further improvements.

“We will look for opportunities to make these changes sooner if we can do so without putting carers’ existing benefits at risk.

“These further changes would help remove barriers to education, allow carers to add together hours spent caring for more than one person to qualify for support, extend support after the loss of a cared for person or when a cared for person is in hospital, and enable carers to earn more from paid work.

“We want to hear people’s views on these plans, other potential changes beyond these, and thoughts on how improvements would help address inequality and poverty.”

Fiona Collie, Policy & Public Affairs Manager at Carers Scotland, backed the approach being taken:

“Carers Scotland is very pleased to welcome the publication of this consultation on proposals for Scottish Carer’s Assistance and a new Carer Additional Person Payment to support unpaid carers. 

“This opportunity to improve the main financial support for carers in Scotland is an important one and carers have long discussed ways in which it can be changed to recognise their caring and better meet their needs.

“I would encourage as many carers as possible to respond and bring their views and experiences to the consultation, either individually or through events and activities that are planned.”

The Scottish Carer’s Assistance consultation, and response form, can be read and downloaded on the Scottish government website. The consultation closes on 23 May.

Ministers say they will set a timetable for introducing the new benefit as soon as possible as part of the programme with the UK Department of Work and Pensions to devolve Social Security to Scotland.

 

Read more: Column: Carers still not being cared for; Ministers promise new carers strategy; Unpaid carers: our own health is suffering.

 

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