Carer Support Payment: island communities impact assessment

Potential impacts for island and remote rural communities

Summary

• Social Security Scotland’s Local Delivery service will allow island and rural carers more choice and flexibility in how they access Carer Support Payment. This may reduce the need to travel or have online access in order to apply for benefits, which can be barriers for island communities, and could reduce the stigma around applying for benefits,which can be greater in remote rural communities. A greater awareness of support available and alternative methods of application will benefit carers who may be digitally excluded.
• Changes to the current Carer’s Allowance rules to allow more carers who are studying full-time to access Carer Support Payment will help to remove barriers to education and provide more stable support.
• Improved join-up to wider carer support services could positively impact island and rural carers facing lack of access to local services.
• Improved signposting and clear communication will benefit carers, including those with underlying entitlement to the benefit. Demographic data shows that a large proportion of island carers may be at pension age, meaning that they will not be eligible for Carer Support Payment, but will have underlying entitlement.
• The automatic transfer of existing Carer’s Allowance awards, rather than requiring clients re-apply for their benefit, will be particularly beneficial given the challenges many island communities face with transport and internet connectivity.
• Similarly, the automatic nature of this transfer will help to reduce any barriers caused by stigma around applying for benefits.
• In addition to this, the use of temporary stops in some situations where Carer’s Allowance awards would currently end will reduce the requirement to re-apply for support where carers have periods where they are temporarily not entitled to support.
• Action to protect payments as part of the case transfer process, and continued payment of the additional support provided by Carer’s Allowance Supplement, will be of particular benefit given the increased living costs associated with living in an island community.

Demography

Research shows a substantially higher 65+ group of carers on the islands than on the mainland: 40% of all those entitled to Carer’s Allowance are over 65 whereas this figure is only 29% in Scotland as a whole. The over 65 group mostly have ‘underlying entitlement’ to the benefit due to receipt of the State Pension which is an overlapping benefit.

Stakeholders described a ‘perfect storm’ of a lack of support for carers with ‘underlying entitlement’ to Carer Support Payment. Rural and island carers tend to be older and unable to access or qualify for the financial support available through Carer’s Allowance, while the caring role itself can be more intense due to a lack of social care provision and access to services. Older carers also tend to be particularly affected by digital exclusion.

Stakeholders have emphasised the importance of providing supporting information to carers with underlying entitlement to Carer Support Payment only. Clear communication and signposting to carer support services will be a priority in the delivery of Carer Support Payment, which will positively impact this group.

We have made improvements to communications with carers around underlying entitlement in particular, based on user research and testing, which are intended to help these carers feel more recognised for their role and signpost them to linked support they may be entitled to and wider carer services. The Carer Support Payment communications and engagement strategy will include messaging and activity that seeks to target older carers, and communicate in ways that suit their needs, to help them to understand the case transfer process. Views will continue to be gathered from older carers to inform future improvements to Carer Support Payment communications.

Access and connectivity

Limited public transport, the extended time required to travel, and increased costs to attend appointments were highlighted by island stakeholders, as was a lack of digital technology, connectivity and skills.

Stakeholders highlighted the possible impacts of travel and accommodation costs for carers if, for example, a cared-for person is in hospital on the mainland, as is often necessary, especially for specialist treatment. It is also possible that Local Authorities may not always be able to support disabled people within the Local Authority area, and that carers may have to travel long distances if cared-for people are placed in, for example, respite care on the mainland. NHS compensation may not cover the costs of travel and accommodation for these carers. Experience panel interview participants noted the lack of carers groups, networks and services for carers and cared for people in rural and remote areas, and the benefits of shared information and support that come through these services, noting that caring work can therefore be particularly isolating in island communities. They highlighted the importance of linking support for carers locally, including in rural areas.

Experience Panel members also noted the issue of reliance on a car and the additional cost of petrol and possibly adaptations, for example wheelchair adaptive vehicles.

The policy is not reliant on high-capacity broadband or access to public transport and is therefore not likely to lead to unfair access.

Social Security Scotland’s Local Delivery service operates within every local authority area in Scotland including island and remote rural communities, offering clients a choice in how they access the service by offering multi-channel access including support in outreach locations, home visits, or via video or telephone appointments. Support is tailored to each area to ensure that the service meets the needs of the local population. Island and rural carers may be more likely to experience digital exclusion, and will benefit from flexibility and choice in accessing support from Social Security Scotland.

User research for Carer Support Payment highlighted the importance of trusted, personalised support and local knowledge, and found that island carers will benefit from accessing support from Local Delivery staff who understand the challenges in their particular areas. This will also benefit carers affected by digital exclusion, providing in-person support where required.

The Social Security Scotland Client Survey for 2021/22 showed that experiences of accessing Social Security were very similar across island, rural and urban groups. Islanders reported positive experiences of contacting Social Security Scotland, and of getting the support and advice that they needed. Islanders were more likely than urban or rural respondents to access Local Delivery support in person, through home visits or at arranged venues.

Local Delivery services are co-located with Local Authorities, Health & Social Care and Third Sector agencies. For example, in the Western Isles they are co-located with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, in Orkney with Skills Development Scotland, in Shetland with theNHS,and in Argyll & Bute, in community outreach locations with LiveArgyll. Local Delivery has used digital support for appointments aligned with health and social care services, for example, Near Me video calling, which is also used by the NHS. In the Western Isles, some community trusts have invested in Near Me facilities, increasing access for communities.

Transferring existing Carer’s Allowance awards automatically, rather than requiring clients to re-apply for their benefit, will be particularly beneficial given the challenges many island communities face with transport and internet connectivity.

For Carer Support Payment, we will develop a communications strategy which will aim to ensure that clients and their families or carers, the third sector, local government, education and health sectors and advice providers are aware of the benefit, know how to apply and understand the eligibility criteria.

Where a decision is made that a client is not entitled to assistance, Social Security Scotland will provide a reason why, as set out in the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018, to ensure that decisions are understood and that our processes are as transparent as possible.

We will also publish guidance on Carer Support Payment in a way that takes account of differing communication needs, so that entitlement is clearly understandable. Social Security Scotland will create a bank of Carer Support Payment stakeholder resources and content in accessible formats that will be proactively supplied to relevant stakeholder organisations through the National Stakeholder Engagement team, for organisations to distribute to people in local communities. Easy read versions will be made available and application forms can also be set out in a number of different languages or formats upon request. If applying by phone, Social Security Scotland can also provide an interpreter where English is not the applicants’ first language^[45].

Social Security Scotland currently creates all its promotional materials in seven alternative community languages, including Gaelic. Social Security Scotland will produce communication materials in other languages on request. Social Security Scotland communications will work with community radio and foreign language press to provide messaging on Carer Support Payment to communities. In some circumstances printed marketing materials may not be the right way to engage with communities and where this is the case, we will provide an engagement approach through work carried out by the National Stakeholder Engagement and Local Delivery functions.

The Western Isles will be one of the initial Carer Support Payment pilot areas, allowing us to ensure this can identify any particular issues which may affect island communities and anything which should be taken into account around the delivery of the benefit in these areas. This will inform continuous improvement work through pilot, the national roll-out and beyond.

Intensity of caring role

Stakeholders told us that social care provision is often not available in the islands, and where available, has been particularly impacted by the pandemic, with day centres closed. In rural and island communities, the caring role can be more intense due to lack of access to services and respite, and challenges with accessibility and transport.

Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Allowance Supplement already target carers with intensive caring roles who on average are likelier to be on lower incomes, and Carer Support Payment will continue that with improvements being planned for future changes, which will positively impact carers, including in particular those with multiple caring roles.

Stigma

Previous stakeholder engagement found that clients based in smaller communities can be apprehensive that other people locally will be aware of them interacting with Social Security Scotland, and this could lead to a reluctance to engage. User research for Carer Support Payment found that islanders may prefer to keep sensitive information out of the public eye, with benefit stigma more prevalent among the older population. Lack of trust in services can act as a barrier to accessing support. Local knowledge and trust were identified as essential in engaging carers with support. Social Security Scotland’s approach to positioning services in familiar local locations is planned to increase clients’ comfort levels, inspire trust and provide a degree of discretion which will encourage interaction and take up of services.^[46]

To help address the stigma around claiming benefits, the Charter for Social Security Scotland^[47] commits us to promoting a positive view of social security, explaining it is a public service to be proud of, and a human right there for all of us who need it; publicly challenging the myths and stereotypes about social security to help reduce stigma and negativity; and changing the language on social security, introducing more positive words to describe the service and the people who use it.

Carer Support Payment, alongside a range of support for carers, intends to promote a positive carer identity. The automatic transfer of existing Carer’s Allowance awards, rather than requiring clients to re-apply for their benefit, will ensure carers do not miss out on Carer Support Payment due to stigma around applying for benefits.

Cost of living

Consultation respondents told us that it costs more to access services, and that the cost of living is higher for island communities, including food, fuel and transport. Fuel poverty rates are also higher on the islands. Overall, it was felt that island communities are more economically disadvantaged than their mainland counterparts. Respondents described issues that compound financial hardship, including:

• low pay which is often linked to seasonal employment.
• the historical low take up of benefits.
• the possible need to run a car at the expense of other essential requirements to access further and higher education, employment, and essential services.
• the increased cost of food, fuel, and travel.

Consultation respondents and Experience Panel interviewees suggested an additional payment to rural and island carers to help address the additional costs of fuel, food and transport; the financial impact of not living near key services and the challenges of employment on the islands.

Respondents further noted that it can be difficult to find part-time employment on the islands and thus obtaining additional finance for a household is more challenging.

A small number of Experience Panel survey respondents noted the possibility of becoming self-employed, but they were concerned about the potential issues that can arise about earning thresholds. A few also mentioned that taking on paid employment would not provide them with more financial security. In rural areas, a limited range of employment opportunities and the additional cost of transport could risk a carer becoming financially worse off by going over the threshold for Carer’s Allowance.

Stakeholders noted that carers living in rural and island areas are often affected by higher costs of living which are likely to increase in the current financial environment, but the financial support available through Carer’s Allowance is the same. This puts carers in rural and island areas at an economic disadvantage.

Given the documented increase in cost of living for both island communities and carers, it is likely that the cost-of-living crisis will severely impact island carers.

Proposed future changes could give carers more flexibility in accessing education and employment, which could be helpful in meeting the increased cost of living in island communities.

There is a high prevalence of seasonal work in island and remote rural areas dependent on tourism and other seasonal industries. Carers may benefit from proposed changes to the earnings threshold for Carer Support Payment, giving them more flexibility in accessing seasonal employment.

The proposed increase to Carer Support Payment payments for longer when a cared for person goes into hospital or residential care would benefit carers who face additional travel to mainland health and social care services.

Action to protect payments as part of the case transfer process will be of particular benefit given the increased living costs associated with living in an island community.

Wider landscape of support

A range of support from the Scottish Government will positively impact island carers, including the introduction of the Winter Heating Payment in February 2023, providing a stable £50 payment every winter irrespective of the weather, temperature, or where recipients live. This approach will have a positive impact on families which have a disabled person, a young person or an older person of pension age who are living in island communities and will therefore have a positive impact on carers. Carers who are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance or Universal Credit may also be eligible for support to tackle fuel poverty from Warmer Homes Scotland.

Further support is available to access breaks in care from the Short Breaks Fund and associated grants and projects, which take into consideration the additional costs of providing breaks to carers in rural and island communities.