Scottish Carer's Assistance: discussion paper

Section 6: Next steps

We are publishing this paper as the beginning of a process of engagement to develop the final aims for Scottish Carer's Assistance. This will include discussion events with stakeholders and research with carers, including members of our Experience Panels. If you would like to take part in a discussion event, or if you would like to find out more, please get in touch with us by emailing ScottishCarersAssistance@gov.scot for more information.

This engagement work will feed into the final aims which will then be used in our options assessment as set out in section 3. This assessment process will be used to identify the final proposals for Scottish Carer's Assistance. Some of the proposals will be capable of being put in place from the launch of the new assistance. Others will be able to be taken forward once we have completed the transfer to Scottish Carer's Assistance for carers currently in receipt of Carer's Allowance. We will then consult on these proposals, making clear when they can be delivered, and use the outcomes of that consultation to draft the regulations for Scottish Carer's Assistance, and build the systems to deliver this support.

The impacts of coronavirus on the overall social security programme, and on the DWP who are integral to our work on devolving benefits, has meant we are having to rework our timescales for delivery of Scottish Carer's Assistance. As highlighted, the existing Carer's Allowance benefit has some of the most complex links with UK Government benefits of all the support being devolved. We are working with the DWP on revised timings for introducing Scottish Carer's Assistance, and the extra support for carers of multiple disabled children, and will be able to share updated timings when this work is complete.