Extension Of Free Personal Care To People Under The Age Of 65, Scotland, 2020-21

Key Points

• The extension of Free Personal Care to people under the age of 65, also known as "Frank's Law", came into effect in April 2019.
• There were 120 self-funding residents aged 18 – 64 in care homes who received Free Personal Care payments in the last quarter of 2020-21.
• The number of people aged 18 – 64 receiving personal care at home has increased since the extension. In the last quarter of 2020-21, there were 12,110 people receiving personal care at home compared to 10,550 people in the last quarter of 2018-19 (prior to the extension).
• The number of personal care hours provided at home decreased by nearly 10% between 2019-20 and 2020-21, following an increase in hours provided with the extension of Free Personal Care in April 2019.
• An estimated £2.2 million has been spent through Free Personal Care payments to self-funding care home residents aged 18 – 64 since the extension in April 2019.
• The estimated expenditure on personal care at home has steadily increased during 2020-21 despite fewer hours being provided than in the previous year.