First Minister announces more support for young carers

A new Young Carer Grant – worth £300 a year – will be part of a new package of support for  young carers, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced today on a visit to the Edinburgh Young Carers Project at Norton Park yesterday. The announcement has been welcomed by the Scottish Greens, who first put forward the idea.

The grant will be awarded to young carers aged 16 to 18 who do at least 16 hours of caring a week, but do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance. It will help to improve young carers’ quality of life, assisting them to take part in employment, social or leisure opportunities.

The full package of support will be delivered throughout the course of this parliament. It will also include adding more entitlements and rewards for 11-18-year-old young carers to the Young Scot National Entitlement Card – which gives non-cash benefits to young people. Young Scot will work with young carers groups to develop the scheme.

At a later date, everyone receiving the Young Carer Grant will also be given a pass for free bus travel. This is in response to concerns that some young carers feel isolated by their caring responsibilities, and can find it difficult to meet transport costs.

The First Minister said: “This government has always been strongly committed to enhancing carers’ rights and providing them with the right support at the right time.

“The package of support I am announcing today, including the Young Carer Grant, will give valuable extra help to this group of people. It comes in addition to a range of other measures, including the support contained in the Carers Act, which enshrines carers’ rights in law for the first time.

“Young carers make an invaluable contribution to society. The additional grant and free bus travel, along with new legislation and our ambitious changes to the social security system, will help ensure they are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.”

Meg Wright, Director of Carers Trust Scotland said: “We are delighted that the Scottish Government recognises the important contribution that young carers make across Scotland. Many young carers have difficulty participating in the normal activities their peers can enjoy. The Young Carer Grant will help young carers to pursue more of their aspirations and reduce social  isolation through having the means to travel more widely.”

The announcement has also been welcomed by the Scottish Greens, who made a manifesto commitment to implement a Young Carer Grant in their election manifesto.

Alison Johnstone, the Greens’ social security and young people spokesperson, says the government, which has thanked the Greens for “initiating this activity”, has grasped the opportunity to take a “fairer approach” to improve financial support for young carers.

Lothians MSP Ms Johnstone said: “While the grant and entitlements won’t fully compensate young carers for the incredible support they give, they should go some way to giving young people with caring responsibilities the same opportunities in life as their peers. It’s welcome by Greens and, I’m sure, the 49,000 young carers in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government has listened to Greens by taking an opportunity for a fairer approach to provide financial support for thousands of young people providing substantial care that does not meet the 35 hour threshold.

“We’ll continue to monitor the implementation of the policy to make sure it’s meeting young carers needs and doesn’t conflict with other benefits in the UK’s complex social security system. The young carers grant is another example of the important work Greens are doing at Holyrood.”