During the Global Ageing Conference in Glasgow, a panel discussed the impact of poverty on carers, the long-term implications as carers age and what needs to change.

healthandcare.scot listened to the reflections of Carers Scotland, and a carer, as they explained why it is so important that the commitments that have been made in Scotland are met.

International attendees at last week’s conference heard about the link between caring, poverty, and carers’ support needs from the Carers Scotland and Ireland team.

They were joined by a Scottish carer who explained how challenging it is for them simply to stay well and live healthily – and called for change to create a better future for carers:

“Why are we being made to pick between money and career and health, but then where are you putting your caree?” they asked. “What are you doing for them, how are you supporting them?

“So, you become a carer and you’re on basic benefits and you’re unemployed and there’s nobody to listen, there’s nobody to help. Unless you come to places and spaces like this.

“And this has to change, not just in Scotland, not just in Ireland, not just in the UK. It has to change globally because we’re creating a future of even more care needs.”

She added that we have reached a “tipping point” for carers, who are often so focused on their caring responsibilities, they are unable to meet their own needs:

“I have illnesses that I can’t get treatment and healthcare for because I’m too busy taking care of my son. He’s my priority. By the time I get to 50, 60, I could be in a wheelchair or hospitalised.

“How will that affect the NHS, the government? They’ll have to cover it – I’ve not got work or money. So that’s why we need to make a change now and that’s what I hope we’re all going to have ideas and discussions about going forward.”

Carers Scotland told healthandcare.scot that while Scotland’s Carers Strategy includes flexible health appointments, more must be done to prevent poor health outcomes.

The organisation says more carers’ breaks, direct payments for counselling, and concessionary access to leisure and transport, all support good health, adding that enhancing the capacity of carers centres to meet demands and for wider community-based health support is important.

Government changes

Humza Yousaf said last week when presenting the programme for government that his government is focused on tackling poverty and offering “practical help and support” to the most vulnerable in Scotland.

Fiona Collie, Head of Policy and Public Affairs for Carers Scotland told delegates Scotland has concrete commitments for carers, including extending Carers Support Payment, addressing the earnings threshold for eligibility, and run-on support for when caring roles end, adding:

“I’m pleased to say that the Programme for Government talked about how we can accelerate a minimum income for carers.”

She said that there is a strong commitment on the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) – an income threshold which no one in Scotland will fall below, ensuring an acceptable standard of living that “promotes dignity” and a decent quality of life.

Ms Collie said the “good news” is that there is a wide range of engagement to tap into the expertise of people experiencing poverty, organisations who support carers and people with disabilities, supported by a cross-party steering group.

However, she told the conference that unpaid carers continue to be, in effect, exploited:

“There’re around 800,000 unpaid carers in Scotland and 30,000 of those are children and young people.

“To give you an idea when we talk about exploitation of carers, it’s very real – replacing the cost of the care they provide would cost £13.1bn every year in Scotland.”

Making a minimum income guarantee work

Ms Collie highlighted their annual report which found that carers are “spiralling into poverty”, with one in four reporting cutting back on both food and heat. She is looking for all political parties to give a long term commitment to the MIG to reduce carer poverty:

“In practical terms, this means developing a model for minimum income that recognises both the financial impact on the ability to remain in employment (for some long-term) and subsequent impact on retirement savings, and the costs of caring – which are closely linked to the extra costs of disability.”

She adds that being responsive to the variation in caring roles and the needs of carers once they reach pension age will be key to this.

Flexible services

Beyond financial support, Carers Scotland says “flexible and responsive social care”, including greater access to self-directed support and enabling carers to be employed more easily, is essential.

The charity told healthandcare.scot that giving people consistent involvement in, and choice over, the support they receive is key – and that, while this will require investment, it “can reduce more costly interventions later”.

In the meantime, the carer on the panel told the conference people in her position need improved outreach work for funding, education, and employment support:

“There are programmes, the downfall is you need to go looking for them. There’s no ‘Right your caring role’s done, here’s a welcome package to life – you go here, here and here to get support’, you have to go looking for it.

“There has to be better advertising [of services] for carers during the caring journey and also after to help with education and work.”

Read more: Call to fix date for ending care charges; Insight: Carers in need as fuel poverty hits; Cut to Glasgow link worker service; Unpaid carers “spiralling” in cost-of-living crisis; Insight: The health benefits of being able to work

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