Unpaid carers should have £400 uplift in support, say Lib Dems

Unpaid carers should receive a £400 uplift in their support payments, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has said.

He said those providing unpaid support to family members and friends formed the “backbone” of care in Scotland.

Social security for those in this group includes the carer support payment, which can provide up to £83 a week.

Mr Cole-Hamilton discussed his party’s proposal as he visited a community centre in Muirhouse, Edinburgh, ahead of its Easter fun day.

He told the Press Association: “Scottish Liberal Democrats want to give every one of Scotland’s 100,000 unpaid carers an uplift in their carer support payment of £400 every year.

“They’re the backbone of care in this country.”

He said the policy would require around £40 million, with costings coming in the Lib Dems’ “fully-costed manifesto”.

Mr Cole-Hamilton also spoke about party vetting of candidates ahead of the Scottish Parliament election.

Earlier this week, Scottish Labour replaced its Glasgow Southside candidate after he was charged with fraud – and the SNP removed a regional list candidate over her handling of allegations made against Jordan Linden, who was convicted of sex offences.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader said he was “very” confident in his own party’s candidates, adding: “All parties have a duty to keep their safeguarding and vetting under constant review.

“That’s why the Liberal Democrats have repeatedly called for a recall act so that constituents can bring in MSPs who have been found to do wrong.

“But more than that, we need politicians to be subjected to the same disclosure checks that youth workers are.”