Carer Support Payment: child rights and wellbeing impact assessment

Data and consultation

Evidence from the National carers strategy shows that young carers, in particular, have poorer overall physical and mental wellbeing than their non-caring peers, and are disproportionately more likely to live in the most deprived areas^[17]. Young carers also report more experiences of social isolation. One in three young carers said that their caring role makes them feel stressed^[18] which can affect their health, wellbeing and education.

There is therefore a requirement to conduct an impact assessment to take into consideration the effects of Carer Support Payment policy on children. Carer Support Payment will be available to anyone from the age of 16, meaning young people aged 16 to 18 may be able to receive the benefit. Young people aged under 18 may be cared for by someone who could receive Carer Support Payment. There are an estimated 31,000 young carers in Scotland according to the Carers Strategic Policy Statement and according to data available on Carer’s Allowance^[19], 3,000 carers under the age of 18 are currently in receipt of the benefit in the United Kingdom.

The Scottish Carer Census of 2018/19^[20] notes that there are 17,180 people who are being cared for by unpaid carers in Scotland, of which 17% (2,920) are those under the age of 18. Public Health Scotland published its most recent statistical report for 2020 – 2021 Insights in Social Care – Statistics for Scotland^[21] which details that there are 3,005 social care clients aged 0 to 17 (2,055 were male and 950 female).

Table 1 above shows households in receipt of Universal Credit in Scotland with children, split by whether a Carer Element is included in the household’s Universal Credit award^[24]. This shows that in August 2022, just over 22,000 households in Scotland with children received the Carer Element in their Universal Credit award. This is 14% of all Universal Credit households in Scotland with children. The proportion is much higher for households receiving the disabled child element in their award (76%).

This suggests that income from Carer Support Payment could be particularly important for families with a disabled adult or child. Over 2017 to 2020, 29% of children living in families with a disabled adult or child in Scotland were in relative poverty. This is higher than the poverty rate for all children, at 24%.

In general, young carers are less likely to be in receipt of the current Carer’s Allowance benefit than adults of working age and above. This is because the minimum age for the benefit is 16, and it is an income replacement benefit, seeking to provide some income where the ability to work is constrained by the caring role. However, this may also be because of the education restrictions which currently apply in Carer’s Allowance.

The Scottish Government has introduced Young Carer Grant to recognise the role of caring amongst young adult carers and provide support. This support is available to carers aged 16 to 18 providing informal care of 16 hours or more a week to someone in receipt of certain disability benefits. It is paid regardless of earnings, income or education, and can be paid in respect of care provided to a disabled person who is also cared for by someone receiving Carer’s Allowance. It aims to help young carers improve their own quality of life by enabling them to access opportunities which are the norm for their non-caring peers.

We know that families with at least one disabled member are disproportionately more likely than families without a disabled member to live in relative poverty after housing costs^[25]. Children can therefore be negatively impacted by being a carer or being part of a household where someone requires care. However, it is worth noting that Carer Support Payment eligibility is aimed at those with the most intensive caring roles (and who are more likely to be on lower incomes) and is intended to provide more financial stability for carers as well as signposting to wider support.

The public consultation on the Scottish replacement for Carer’s Allowance (known at the time as ‘Scottish Carer’s Assistance’), opened on 28 February 2022 and closed on 23 May 2022. During this time nine stakeholder events were held. These were not specifically targeted at children and young people. However, as part of the consultation process there was extensive consultation on the policy proposals with the Carer Benefits Advisory Group which includes representatives from Child Poverty Action Group, One Parent Families, and Carers Trust Scotland.

Carer Support Payment policy and design builds on the learning of Young Carer Grant and the work of the Experience Panels^[26] who consulted with 62 young carers during development. Half (51 per cent) of respondents were aged 12-15 years old. A third (33 per cent) were aged 16 or 17. This provides valuable information from young carers on their understanding of Social Security, application processes, preferred methods of communications and the impacts (on their lives) of benefit payments. The Young Carer Grant has undergone a recent interim evaluation. The evaluation contained three strands: analysis of management data, an overview of Social Security Scotland Client Survey findings and commissioned qualitative research with young carers, and stakeholders that work with them. The aims of Young Carer Grant are comparable to that of Carer Support Payment which are to:

• help young carers improve their own quality of life by taking part in opportunities which are the norm for their non-caring peers and provide some recognition of their unpaid caring role.

The lessons learned from this report are being taken into account in development of Carer Support Payment. That is:

• carers feel the application process is clear and easy
• payments are administered well
• payments are made to as many eligible carers as possible
• carers feel they have been treated with fairness, dignity and respect
• carers have a positive experience of Social Security Scotland.

The Scottish Government has also consulted with stakeholders through our independent Disability and Carer Benefits Expert Advisory Group (DACBEAG). The Disability and Carer Benefits Expert Advisory Group was chaired by Dr Jim McCormick and comprised individuals with significant practical experience of the United Kingdom social security system, from a range of professional backgrounds. It was independent of the Scottish Government. The Group’s role was to advise Scottish Ministers on specific policy options for disability assistance and carer benefits due to be delivered in Scotland.

Two surveys regarding the case transfer process were sent out to Experience Panel members in January and February 2019. 404 and 559 responses were received respectively. A series of individual and group interviews were also conducted. Results from both surveys and the interviews were published in 2019^[27], and these results have guided the development of case transfer policy.

Data from the Department of Work and Pensions is limited. We know that 353 young carers are currently in receipt of Carer’s Allowance in Scotland. However, this is the full extent of information which we are able to obtain. Carer Support Payment will aim to collect more equalities data at the point of application, which will be used for different monitoring and evaluation needs on the effectiveness and impact of Social Security Scotland benefits. Characteristics covered by the Equality Monitoring and Feedback form include: Sex/Gender; Disability; Sexual orientation; transgender status; Race/Ethnicity and Religion. Age is covered by date of birth collected through the application form.

In developing policy and this impact assessment, Scottish Government Carer Benefits Policy Team officials and Social Security Analysis, Forecasting and Evaluation (SSAFE) colleagues also examined evidence from a range of studies, reports and surveys to support the views and experiences gathered of children and young people. These include:

• Carers Strategic Policy Consultation ^[28]
• GIRFEC Strategic Policy Statement ^[29]
• Experience Panel Young Carer Grant research report ^[30]
• Carers Trust Scotland ^[31]
• Experience Panel case transfer survey report ^[32]