Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland
People at the Centre

Become a member

State of Caring in Scotland 2022 report published

  • Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 9th November 2022

Report explores the financial, health and employment situation of unpaid carers, as well as support services available to them.

Carers Scotland have released the findings of their State of Caring 2022 survey in a report which offers a picture of unpaid caring in Scotland (this link will take you away from our website). Based on a survey of 2,044 unpaid carers, the largest sample in the survey’s history, the report explores the financial impact of caring, support and services available to carers, the health of carers, and assessments for carer support plans.

Amongst the findings in this year’s report are:

  • 40% of carers receiving Carers Allowance are struggling to make ends meet.
  • 24% of carers are cutting back on food and heat to make ends meet.
  • Only 12% of carers were offered an adult carer support plan.
  • 39% of carers have had no break in the last 12 months.
  • 58% of carers said their assessment did not consider their health and wellbeing properly or at all.
  • 1 in 10 working carers are in debt.

The report concludes with recommendations in a number of areas. Further support via social security is called for, including by uprating all payments by inflation, offering a top up payment to people with an entitlement to Carer’s Allowance, and increasing the earnings limit for Carer’s Allowance. It also calls for care charging to be ended as soon as possible, offer a specific strategy on health checks for unpaid carers, increase funding for breaks from caring, and develop affordable and accessible childcare options for unpaid carers.

The full report is available from Carers Scotland (this link will take you away from our website).

End of document.

End of page.

You may also like:

Back to all news