Current status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 December 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent publication of the report by Carers Scotland, State of Caring, The cost of caring in Scotland 2025, which found that 62% of parent carers with a disabled child were cutting back on essentials such as heating and food to make ends meet, what action it is taking to address poverty amongst carers, and whether the upcoming Scottish Budget will consider carer poverty, including amongst parent carers of disabled children.
Social Security Scotland provides three benefits specifically for unpaid carers, including Carer’s Allowance Supplement which provides extra support only available in Scotland. Carer’s Allowance Supplement is worth £587 in 2025/26 with eligible carers receiving the most recent payment of £293.50 from the 4th of December. From March 2026 we will make further improvements to support for unpaid carers, including new extra support for carers getting Carer Support Payment and caring for more than one person – a Carer Additional Person Payment worth £520 a year for each additional person being cared for.
Parents of disabled children can also benefit from support through Child Disability Payment, Child Winter Heating Payment, and our five family payments, including Scottish Child Payment. We are committed to uprating all forms of assistance delivered under the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 so that they retain their value as costs rise.
Beyond social security, parents across Scotland can benefit from a range of support under our cost-of-living guarantee, including free school meals and funded childcare hours.
Scottish Ministers are considering the Scottish budget for 2026-27, and this will be announced on 13 January 2026.