ALLIANCE responds to the Care Leaver Payment consultation
- Area of Work: Children and Young People, Policy and Research
- Type: News Item
- Published: 25th January 2024
The proposed payment is a very welcome additional support for care experienced young people that will help to realise their rights.
The ALLIANCE have responded to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the proposed Care Leaver Payment. The Scottish Government are proposing that young people leaving care be given a one-off payment of £2000 to help support them in their transition to independent, adult living. This would be a completely new social security payment, only available in Scotland.
Care experienced young people often do not have access to the forms of support that other young people may take for granted, such as parents, wider family or guardians. The Scottish Government intend for this payment to help address that inequality, and have also considered it within the context of The Promise to Scotland’s care experienced young people.
In our response, the ALLIANCE:
- Welcomes the payment, and notes the potential to enhance care leaver’s financial wellbeing and further realise their rights.
- Agrees that the payment should be made over a short timescale, recommending that individuals be given a choice between a single lump sum or instalments over a year or two.
- Agrees that the payment should not be means tested or impact on entitlement to other social security payments.
- Recommends that independent advice and advocacy is available to support people to apply for the payment, and that such services are appropriately resourced.
- Recommends that financial advice also be made available.
- Recommends that data is sensitively collected on how the payment is used, with a view to informing how the payment is delivered in the longer term.
You can read the full consultation response via the resource links below.
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