The Scottish Government has opened a consultation on plans for a new benefit for unpaid carers.
Scottish Carer’s Assistance will be administered by Social Security Scotland and support more than 80,000 people who provide 35 hours a week of care to those receiving certain disability benefits. The new benefit will replace Carer’s Allowance, currently being delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and see an additional payment of more than £500 a year to those who care for more than one person.
The consultation published today also outlines proposals aimed at improving the service that carers receive, including links to wider support in areas such as social care, employability, education and bereavement.
Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “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.
“We will also create a weekly payment of £10 for those caring for more than one person, and if the person they care for is challenging a change to their disability benefits we will make support available.
“This is in addition to continuing support for young carers and maintaining the extra support from our Carer’s Allowance Supplement, providing eligible carers with an extra £460 a year.”
He continued: “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.”
Launching Scottish Carer’s Assistance will be the “Scottish Government’s highest priority” following the delivery of Adult Disability Payment, which will start replacing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for nearly 300,000 Scots claimants in August this year and the extension of Scottish Child Payment for six to 16 year olds by the end of the year - subject to the DWP providing the necessary data - and the first low income winter heating benefit in winter 2022/23.
Fiona Collie of Carers Scotland welcomed the consultation.
She said: “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.”
Timings for delivery of Scottish Carer’s Assistance will be confirmed as soon as possible following agreement with the DWP, as part of the joint programme of work to devolve social security.
The Scottish Carer’s Assistance consultation is open for responses until May 23, 2022 - find out more here.
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