NEW BENEFIT FOR YOUNG CARERS WELCOMED BY MID FIFE AND GLENROTHES MSP

Published date : 22 Oct 2019

Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP, Jenny Gilruth, has welcomed the announcement that teenage carers in Scotland will be the first in the UK to be given financial support thanks to a new Scottish Government grant.

The Young Carer Grant will be available for 16, 17 and 18 year olds who spend an average of 16 hours caring for someone who receives a disability benefit.

The new benefit will opened for applications from Monday 21st October, with the Scottish Government investing £600,000 to support almost 2,000 young carers over the next year.

Commenting on the new benefit, the MSP said:

“I am delighted by the announcement of a new benefit being made available to young carers in Scotland.

“This new benefit is in line with the Scottish Government’s “Getting It Right For Every Child” approach – supporting young carers in every way we can through making allowances for the issues they may face and the impact their caring roles may have on their daily life.

“Recent figures show that approximately 1 in 10 pupils aged 8-18 in Fife are young carers – with a Pupilwise survey suggesting that numbers could be even higher than this. It is therefore crucial that we do everything we can to bolster our young carers to ensure that they are treated fairly and have access to the appropriate support.”

Cabinet Secretary for Social Security, Shirley-Anne Somerville, commented:

“I am delighted that we are using our new social security powers to recognise the extraordinary contribution these dedicated young people make to the lives of those they care for. This is the first time young carers anywhere in the UK will receive a cash benefit.

“With more responsibilities and less free time, many young carers don’t get the same opportunities as their peers and we want this benefit to support them with activities that many of their peers will take for granted.”

“This new grant will ensure they are treated with the dignity, fairness, and respect they deserve.”

Young Carer Grant opens for applications this week (Monday 21st October). Applications can be made online at mygov.scot, by phone or by post.

ENDS

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