The National Carers Organisations have called for guidance introduced at the start of the pandemic to enable greater flexibility in the way people with disabilities and their carers can spend their budgets to be made permanent.

In May 2020, the government told councils to consider more flexible options in how people could use their self-directed support (SDS) budgets.

Groups representing unpaid carers says continuing this approach after the pandemic, with a focus on applying it consistently across Scotland - including allowing carers to use the funds to go on short breaks - should be a priority of the government in its upcoming Carers Strategy.

As part of wide-ranging recommendations in how to improve carers’ lives in Scotland, the national organisation has also suggested the introduction of a ‘quasi-furlough scheme’ to allow carers to take time away from employment to provide care.

This interim SDS-like budget could, the group says, prevent loss of employment and income – though is not intended to replace wages in the long-term.

The carer-informed briefings have been submitted to the Scottish government to assist in the development of a Carers Strategy due to be published this spring.

The Social Care Minister announced the strategy back in February, saying it will aim to improve support for carers in a “meaningful and sustainable way”.

The strategy is to be developed, according to the Minister, with input from carers and carers’ organisations with a focus on both short-term relief during pandemic recovery and longer-term consideration of short breaks, mental health and young carers.

Coalition of Carers in Scotland, one of seven members of the National Carers Organisations, welcomed news of the strategy and the key role of carers in its development, but said the government must focus on short-term relief:

“We feel that priority must be given to covid recovery, with substantial investment in short term measures to support the many carers who have had to provide increasing levels of care, with little or no support,” the Director told healthandcare.scot in February.

“In advance of the creation of a National Care Service, the Carers Strategy should support the move towards providing carers with a right to regular breaks from caring by increasing short break provision.  It should also set out measures to increase financial support for carers and protect the health and wellbeing of both adult and young carers.” 

The National Carer Organisations briefings highlight the importance of short breaks to carers wellbeing, and say the strategy provides an opportunity to provide more, better, and improved access to short breaks.

Research conducted by Carers UK – another member of the National Carer Organisations – found almost three quarters of carers had not been able to take a break from caring in the first 15 months of the pandemic.

The National Organisations recommended the government commission research to understand the demand and preferences of different short break options, to identify gaps in provision.

The government has pledged, in its proposals for a National Care Service, to enshrine carers’ universal right to respite – though the group has called for this to be accompanied with increased funding.

A national unpaid carer discount card, that would see carers entitled to free or discounted access to leisure and wellbeing activities, has also been proposed.

The group also calls for Carers Act monies to be ringfenced for local services and more sustainable, recurring funding for carers centres and support services to be prioritised.

When unpaid carers are involved in local and national planning, they should be trained and paid for their work and their role should be clarified – this, the organisation says, would ensure carers are equal partners and place lived experience at the centre of development.

Membership of Community Health and Social Care Boards, which are to be the local delivery bodies of a National Care Service and the successors of current Integration Joint Boards, include unpaid carers but whether this role will be remunerated is unclear.

 

Read more: Ministers promise new carers strategy; Unpaid carers: our own health is suffering; Funding call as day services remain closed.

 

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