Labour MSP Carol Mochan and Social Care Minister Shirley Ann Somerville.
by Bill Heaney
This is Carers Week, and this year’s Carers Week report found that almost half of carers in Scotland do not feel that their communities are carer-friendly, according to Scottish Labour’s Carol Mochan.
She told the Scottish Parliament: “The need for carer-friendly communities was first highlighted in a carers report in 2015. Does the First Minister recognise that more must be done to support unpaid carers in their communities? Can he identify any businesses, organisations or Government bodies that are working on that? What barriers would he identify to Government delivery on that?”
He said: “The Government is investing more than £88 million in local carer support through local authority funding in line with the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016.
“That is designed to be distributed at local level to meet the varying circumstances that exist in different parts of the country.
“We are also providing £600,000 of support in the current financial year for local carers centres, which give invaluable support to carers.
“That is in addition to funding from local authorities and integration joint boards. Through those different channels—whether direct funding for local authorities or direct funding for carers centres—the Government is trying to create capacity at local level to support the delivery of assistance to carers in our communities.”
Meanwhile, unpaid carers in West Dunbartonshire are being urged to check if they are entitled to financial support.
As of March this year, 2925 carers in West Dunbartonshire are already receiving the Carer Support Payment; however, more could be entitled to the benefit.
As part of Carers Week, which runs from June 8 to 14, Social Security Scotland is urging unpaid carers to check the support they are receiving.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, social justice secretary, said: “Carers Week is a great opportunity to recognise the importance of unpaid carers in our communities.
“Our recently improved package of support, which is unique to Scotland, recognises the vital role that carers play in our society.
The Carer Support Payment provides £86.45 per week and has now replaced Carer’s Allowance for most carers in Scotland.
It is available to individuals who provide care for 35 hours or more each week to someone receiving a qualifying disability benefit, and who earn no more than £204 per week after tax, National Insurance, and expenses.
Financial support is also available to some carers in education.
The Scottish Carer Supplement is an additional payment of £11.70 per week for eligible unpaid carers who receive the Carer Support Payment.
It is paid automatically and does not require a separate application.
The Young Carer Grant provides an annual payment of £405.10 to carers aged 16 to 19.
Carers Week, which runs from June 8 to 14, aims to raise awareness of the challenges faced by unpaid carers and to encourage those who may not identify as carers to seek support – whether emotional, social, or financial.
Further information about social security support for carers is available at mygov.scot/carers.
Details of other forms of assistance, including wellbeing services and respite options, can be found by searching Help if you’re a carer on mygov. scot.