Only one in five unpaid carers have been given more flexibility over support choices during the pandemic, a new survey has revealed.

Research by the Coalition of Carers Scotland found nearly half – 43% – of those who asked to use self-directed support (SDS) in a different way had their request declined by the local authority.

This is despite the Scottish Government saying the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic meant councils should be more flexible.

Under the SDS legislation, people are supposed to have more control over their choice of care, including in some cases including taking on a personal budget to spend on support.

Guidance issued by the Scottish Government in May said that due to the exceptional circumstances, councils should consider more flexible solutions to meet the needs of those receiving self-directed support (SDS).

Examples of this included supported people and unpaid carers being allowed to use budgets in new ways to help during the covid-19 crisis - ranging from transport and shopping delivery costs to purchase of IT and gym equipment.

However the survey of more than 200 unpaid carers found six in ten had not even been made aware of the possibility of using SDS in a more flexible way. 

For those who did, the extra support included purchasing iPads or laptops to allow people to keep in touch with friends, paying personal assistants for additional hours and buying garden play equipment for children.

But others had a very different experience including one carer who said: “Asked local area coordinator to request an iPad to allow my son to stay in touch with his services online.

“I was told this wouldn't be agreed. I asked for him to check anyway and pointed out SDS was meant to be flexible.

“I was grudgingly told okay but he didn't make the rules. In the end he put me in touch with Leonard Cheshire who provided an iPad, case and Amazon Echo.

“They have been amazing but I do feel they were suggested so the local authority didn't have to be approached.”

Some carers also used budgets to pay relatives to provide additional support at home, particularly where care providers were unable to provide services or the household was shielding.

One said: “I pay for my daughter to help me with her disabled sister as we have cancelled homecare for the duration on shielding.”

But around half of carers who asked their council if they could employ a family member using SDS were told no – despite covid guidance stating they “may be the only people available who can provide support on a temporary basis.”

One said they had been told it was not allowed and the family member should be “doing it free in this time of need.”

The Coalition of Carers Scotland has made a series of recommendations, saying many of the examples given in the survey “should not be considered exceptional.”

“Some of the innovative solutions carers have come up with to meet their support needs have been better at achieving their outcomes,” the report said.

“We would therefore like to see the flexibility and personalisation of support offered during lockdown to remain in place post covid-19.”

 

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