For immediate release:

NEW CARERS ALLOWANCE SUPPLEMENT ROLLED OUT THIS WEEK

MSP Clare Haughey has welcomed the first tranche of payments of the Scottish Government’s Carers Allowance Supplement which started to be paid to eligible claimants this week (10th September).

The new benefit will be paid twice a year by Social Security Scotland, the first major new public service to be created since devolution, and will be back-dated to April.

Eligible carers will see their allowance increased by more than £400 per year, equivalent to an extra £8.50 per week, which is an increase of 13% on the Carer’s Allowance paid by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). The Carers Allowance Supplement is worth more than £30 million a year and will benefit 5388 people in South Lanarkshire.

Commenting, Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey said:

“This roll out of the Carers Allowance Supplement marks the beginning of a bright new chapter in Scottish public service.

“Around 5400 people across South Lanarkshire will benefit from this new payment through an additional £400 each year, and the first round of these payments started earlier this week.

“The Scottish Government is committed to delivering a fairer system for social security: one that affords carers the dignity and respect they are due as a result of their selfless dedication.

“We appreciate the contribution carers make to our society and we have always advocated that Carers Allowance should be the same rate as Jobseeker’s Allowance.”

Carers are not required to do anything to receive this payment as, if eligible, it will happen automatically and be paid using the same method that people get their Carer’s Allowance from the DWP.

ENDS

Notes:

• Attached is an excel spreadsheet with the breakdown of Carer’s Allowance recipients per local authority.

• Announcement made in the Programme for Government statement by the First Minister on the 4th September. See – http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=11639&i=105481

Date published: 6th September 2018