Campaigners demand ‘transformative’ change to support carers

Ministers are being urged to put carers at the heart of plans for the future as a new survey revealed almost three-quarters of Scots believe those who look after others are not valued highly enough by the Scottish Government.

More than 60 organisations backing the A Scotland That Cares campaign said “transformative” change is needed.

The plea comes as a poll carried out for the campaign – which was set up by Oxfam Scotland, Carers Scotland, Scottish Care, One Parent Families Scotland and the Scottish Women’s Budget Group – found 74% of adults believe care work is not valued highly enough by ministers.

That is up from 62% who said care work is not valued highly enough in 2020, at the height of the Covid pandemic.

The polling, by YouGov, also found a majority of people do not believe the increased attention on the role of carers during the pandemic has resulted in additional practical support for them – with 57% saying this is the case for paid carers along with 61% for unpaid carers.

Becky Duff, director of the Carers Trust Scotland, said: “The pandemic shone an unblinking spotlight on how essential the roles of unpaid carers and paid care workers are for holding society together.

“We are incredibly disappointed that despite this increased attention, most people believe that nothing has really changed for carers.”

The call for change comes as the Scottish Government is reviewing its national outcomes – a series of goals aimed at reflecting “the kind of Scotland we want to see”.

Campaigners said this gives ministers a “golden opportunity” to tackle the issue.

The Scottish Government has 11 national outcomes at present – covering matters such as health, the environment and education – but care does not feature.

Ms Duff added: “People across Scotland are even more concerned now than they were during the pandemic about how valued carers are, including by Scottish Government.”

Speaking about the survey, she said: “These findings send a clear message: the scale of action needs to go further, faster by putting carers at the heart of Scottish Government’s plans for Scotland’s future.”

With the polling also showing 30% of Scots have caring responsibilities, Carmen Martinez, co-ordinator of the Scottish Women’s Budget Group, said: “Most of us will know someone who does care work – whether paid or unpaid – or even be one ourselves, with women being much more likely to be carers than men.

“All of us will need to be cared for at some point in our lives. Yet, although caring is crucial to us all, it is chronically undervalued – it’s very telling that carers don’t even feature in the Scottish Government’s existing vision for the country.

“It’s time for ministers to right that wrong by creating a new, robust national outcome on care to drive the actions needed to fully value and invest in care and all those who provide it.”

Jamie Livingstone, the head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “Care matters deeply to us all. Scotland’s communities and economy is underpinned by the invisible yet invaluable efforts of people who look after others, too many of whom face significant personal impacts, including poverty.

“Yet politicians’ warm words and pandemic plaudits haven’t been and will never be enough.

“The Scottish Government has a golden opportunity to make a transformative and world leading commitment to carers by placing them at the heart of its vision for the country through the creation of a new national outcome on care. It must take it.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The work of carers, whether paid or unpaid, makes a vital contribution to our communities and to our economy.

“That’s why social care workers in Scotland will receive at least £12 an hour under a new pledge made by the First Minister. This uplift represents an increase of over 10% from the £10.90 minimum rate that was introduced in April 2023 and will mean an increase of more than £2,000 a year for some staff.

“We are also implementing our National Carers Strategy to drive long-term changes to improve the lives of unpaid carers across Scotland. This includes investing £88.4 million per year in local carer support through local authority Carers Act funding and continuing to fund the voluntary sector Short Breaks Fund ahead of including a right to short breaks for carers in the National Care Service Bill.

“We will introduce our new benefit Carer Support Payment from November this year. It will replace Carer’s Allowance in Scotland, currently delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions, and further open up entitlement to 1,500 carers studying full-time that cannot currently access the benefit.

“A new outcome for care will be considered as part of the ongoing review of the national outcomes.”