Social Security Experience Panels: Young Carer Grant survey

Background

The Scottish Government is becoming responsible for some of the benefits previously delivered by the UK Government through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). As part of the work to prepare for this change, the Scottish Government set up the Social Security Experience Panels, which are made up of over 2,400 people who have recent experience of at least one of the benefits that are being devolved to Scotland. In addition, the Scottish Government have reached out to young carers across Scotland to help inform the design of a new grant for young carers which will be introduced in 2019. This was part of the Social Security Experience Panels programme of research.

The Young Carer Grant will be a grant of £300 which young carers can apply for each year when they are 16 and 17, and 18 if they are still at school. The Scottish Government is looking at what further support might be made available to young carers alongside this payment, including free bus travel and working with Young Scot to develop a discount card for young carers.

Between February 2018 and August 2018, Scottish Government researchers held 16 focus groups with more than 50 young carers, to hear about their experiences and views on the development of a new grant for young carers in Scotland. The initial findings from this research were published in November 2018 and are available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/social-security-experience-panels-initial-findings-development-young-carer-grant/

Between 9 November and 10 December 2018 we also ran a survey which asked about young carers’ experiences and views on what the new grant should be like. This survey ran alongside the Scottish Government consultation on the draft regulations for the grant and was designed to be an easier way for young carers to contribute their views on some of the issues addressed in this consultation. 61 young carers (up to the age of 25) responded to the survey. This report is on the findings from this survey.