Woman taking care of aging parent

Important support for carers extended

The Scottish Government has announced that it has extended support for unpaid carers so that thousands more can benefit.

After being piloted across a number of council areas, the Carer Support Payment – which replaces the Carer’s Allowance – is now being rolled out to a further six regions.

The twelve areas which will see unpaid carers now able to apply for the new benefit are:

  • Aberdeen (New)
  • Aberdeenshire (New)
  • Fife (New)
  • Moray (New)
  • North Ayrshire (New)
  • East Ayrshire (New)
  • South Ayrshire (New)
  • Perth and Kinross
  • Dundee City
  • Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)
  • Angus
  • North Lanarkshire
  • South Lanarkshire

Unlike the allowance that it replaced, the Carer Support Payment is available to some carers who are in full-time education, including students who are aged 20 or older. In June this year, eligibility for the fund was also extended to include carers who are between 16 and 19 years old and in non-advanced education, whilst meeting certain criteria.

Alongside this broadening of eligibility, new rules have been introduced that will allow some carers to have their payments backdated to when the payment was introduced.

Scotland care quote

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, said:

“The work of unpaid carers is vital to the people they look after and to society as a whole.

“I am delighted that we are ready to roll out Carer Support Payment to more areas in Scotland, meaning thousands more unpaid carers can apply.

“I urge anyone who lives in an area where Carer Support Payment is available to apply for it as soon as possible. And if the payment is not yet available in their area, I would urge them to apply for Carer’s Allowance from the DWP so that they don’t miss out on any financial support.”

Whilst the benefit is not yet available in all areas in Scotland, it will be made available across the nation from the 4th November this year.

This increase in support for unpaid carers comes at a time when the UK government is being urged to introduce a new carers strategy, which would go even further to protect those who provide unpaid care. Only last week, a letter was delivered to the Prime Minister, calling for his government to make better support a priority.

 

Image credit: iStock

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