Attendees at this week’s annual Carers Parliament have questioned the financial transparency of integration joint boards, claiming that money meant to support carers goes missing within budgets.

Scotland’s local authorities are set to receive £88.4m this year to provide support for unpaid carers under the Carers Act, with an additional £4m to support carers to take breaks.

However, the Minister for Social Care admitted at a panel discussion during the Carers Parliament this week that much of this funding has “definitely not” reached carers.

Contributing from the audience, a member of an island integration joint board (IJB) said money from the Carers Act is “lost” within other local health and social spending.

Jim Guyan, who sits on Shetland’s IJB as a carer representative, told delegates that no one can tell him where funding intended for carers is actually going within his area.

Councillor Paul Kelly, COSLA’s health and social care spokesperson, said historical underfunding of councils means local authorities are faced with extremely challenging funding decisions:

“Our challenge back to government is to properly fund the new strategy so we can take the actions we want to take properly. We are absolutely committed to supporting carers and the Carers Strategy.”

Kevin Stewart, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, said a cross-sectoral Carers Strategy, focusing on social security, availability of welfare funds, action on fuel poverty, and employment and education support for carers, will soon be published.

A national strategy to improve support for carers in a “meaningful and sustainable way” was expected to have already been published by the end of spring, but its publication has been delayed. It is expected in the following weeks, according to the minister.

Another member of the panel, Raymond Jamieson – a manager of a carers’ hub in Perth & Kinross – questioned whether money for the new strategy could be ringfenced to stop local authorities’ siphoning funds to support other services.

Mr Stewart said that ringfencing poses difficulties but that “local authorities and the Scottish government must work together so that every penny must be spent on carers and services”.

A recent Scottish government report found that one third of carers do not feel supported to continue caring.

 

Read more: Additional person £10 carer payment an ‘insult’; Unpaid carers being “pushed to the brink”

 

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