Carer Support Payment: equality impact assessment

Data gaps

We recognise that there are a number of areas where significant gaps remain in our understanding of particular characteristics and carers. Most notable are the characteristics of sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion and belief, and marriage and civil partnership. This is partly because these are among groups for whom DWP has not gathered this information in respect of Carer’s Allowance. So, we have no historical information for these groups, and we will not have it for people whose benefits will transfer to Social Security Scotland.

We will of course gather this information (on a voluntary basis) for new applicants to Carer Support Payment, but we are mindful that it will be some time before we have a fuller picture of who applies for and receives the benefit, and what that means.

There is also more to consider than statistics. It is vital that we understand the experience of carers on a day-to-day basis and identify and respond to any barriers particular communities face. We do have some knowledge of this through regular engagement with stakeholders from the Carer Benefits Advisory Group and the Disability and Carer Benefits Expert Advisory Group, as well as analysis of Young Carer Grant recipients from the interim evaluation, but we want to understand and address any issues particular to the caring role.

We therefore plan to undertake a piece of work over the next three years to achieve this. We are working with organisations who support carers in these groups with the aim of undertaking focused engagement with a sufficient number of carers on their experience. The workplan will be informed by expertise from the Carer Benefits Advisory Group, and we will take the plan and learning to our annual carer benefits equalities event over the next three years.