The Scottish Government is consulting on proposed changes to their regulations on Waiving Charges for Carers.

As they currently stand these regulations prevent local authorities from charging carers for any support provided to them in relation to their caring role. In addition, when support has been put in place for a carer following a carers assessment the local authority cannot pass any charges on to the person they care for.

The Coalition has produced a Positions Paper, which can be downloaded here. In this we explain why we believe that this is the right approach. Our position is that any weakening of the regulations will be a step backwards for carers and undermines the progress that has been made to recognise and support them.

In their consultation paper the Scottish Government explains that the main challenge for local authorities has been the interpretation of replacement care and defining whether it is a service for the carer, or the person they care for.

At the moment the regulations are clear that following a carers assessment (Adult Carers Support Plan) if a carer receives a short break which includes an element of replacement care, they cannot be charged for this and neither can the person they care for. However, local authorities have questioned whether the replacement care is more a service for the cared-for person since it is delivered to them and since they may also benefit from it.

The Scottish Government has published a consultation paper which sets out two options to address these issues.

Option 1– No amendments would be made to the current regulations, but there will be improved guidance.

Option 2 – Legislation would state that replacement care provides indirect support to the carer and therefore the cared-for person can be charged for replacement care, even where it is put in place to support the carer.

You can read the consultation paper here

Once you have read the consultation paper, if you would like to submit your views, please follow this link to the National Carer Organisation’s survey

We are very keen that carers and carer organisations have the opportunity to have their views heard.

The Survey will close on the 9^th of September

Best wishes

Claire Cairns
Network Coordinator
The Coalition of Carers in Scotland