The Scottish budget: what it means for older people

The Scottish Government has set out its budget plans for the year ahead.

Here’s how the Scottish budget means older people in Scotland get the best deal anywhere in the UK.

• We will increase health spending by almost £730 million, increasing the annual health resource budget to £13.9 billion.
• The budget includes investment of £30 million for the the rollout of ‘Frank’s Law’ – extending free personal care to under 65s who require it.
• We will continue to deliver a social security system based on dignity, fairness and respect, committing £435 million in assistance directly to those who need it most.
  
• We will invest an additional £37 million to support carers through the Carer’s Allowance Supplement.
• The budget continues to fully mitigate the ‘bedroom tax’. We’ve ensured 70,000 households, 80 per cent of which have a disabled family member, don’t have this unfair tax hanging over them.
• We will expand the Care About Physical Activity programme supporting older people in a care setting to be more active.
  
• We will invest a record sum of over £825 million towards our pledge to build 50,000 affordable homes in this Parliamentary term, the majority of which will be for social rent.
  
• We will continue to provide the concessionary bus pass for everyone aged over 60 and eligible disabled people in Scotland, enabling Scotland’s older people and disabled people to travel for free on local or Scottish long distance buses.
  
• We will maintain funding for housing adaptations to help older and disabled tenants live safely and independently at home.
• We will implement our Social Isolation and Loneliness Strategy and deliver a framework policy on older people.
  
• We will progress our £320 million commitment to construct five new NHS elective care centres in Clydebank, Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Livingston.
• We will provide over £100 million to tackle fuel poverty and improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes.