How is the SNP improving the income of carers?

Social Security Scotland made its first payments in 2018, delivering the Carer’s Allowance Supplement. This increases the Carer’s Allowance by 13% and is an investment of more than £30 million a year to support carers in Scotland.

We are introducing the Carer’s Assistance to replace the current Carer’s Allowance.  We will increase the value of the payment, provided we can guarantee the UK government will not claw back the extra payment which would leave carers worse off.

We will pay anyone looking after more than one disabled person an extra £10 per week, benefiting around 16,350 carers – this matches the extra support carers of more than one disabled child receive.

We also know that when a carer loses someone they have cared for, they need to be supported, so following the death of a cared-for person, we will pay Carer’s Assistance for 12 weeks instead of just 8, helping over 4,000 carers.

Until Carer’s Assistance is introduced, we will continue to pay the Carer’s Allowance Supplement to ensure carers receive an income that is equivalent to Job Seekers’ Allowance.

In recognition of the extra burden the pandemic has placed on carers, we are awarding a double payment of Carer’s Allowance Supplement this year, worth £460.

And we will continue our yearly £300 payment for young carers to improve quality of life, helping them take part in employment, social or leisure opportunities.