Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 12:51 pm on 23 January 2025.
Colin Beattie
Scottish National Party
12:51,
23 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether carer support payment should be classed as income by the Department for Work and Pensions. (S6O-04245)
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
Carer support payment has been designed to largely mirror carers allowance to protect carers in Scotland by providing them with a safe and secure transfer of benefits. We have worked closely with the DWP and other United Kingdom Government departments to ensure that our benefit interacts with wider support in the same way that carers allowance does, so that carers can continue to get the support that they previously relied on.
When we introduce new extra support, such as the carers allowance supplement and the carers additional person payment, which we intend to introduce in the future, our fiscal framework agreement with the UK Government ensures that that extra support will not lead to reductions in other benefits.
Colin Beattie
Scottish National Party
Constituents have contacted me to report that the carer support payment will make a great difference to them, only for the DWP to remove the same amount from universal credit, because it is classed as income. Are discussions taking place with the UK Government to ensure that a no-detriment agreement can be put in place to allow carers in Scotland to benefit from the additional money?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
As I mentioned in my original answer, carer support payment mirrors carers allowance. One reason for that is that it has the same purpose as carers allowance—it is an income replacement benefit for people who are less able to work because they have caring responsibilities. That means that it is treated as income when other income replacement benefits, such as universal credit, are calculated, but carers are still better off because an extra amount, which is called the carer element, can be included in the calculation.
Carers in Scotland get the extra support of the carers allowance supplement, which is not available in the rest of the UK, and, as I mentioned in my original answer, we are continuing our work to introduce the carers additional person payment. We are working with the UK Government to ensure that receipt of those benefits does not lead to reductions in DWP benefits.
Pam Duncan-Glancy
Labour
It appears that the same thing is happening with council tax and through Social Security Scotland. On transfer to universal credit, some carer support payment claimants are being hit with immediate demands for payment of full council tax. My constituent was sent a bill of £350, which had to be paid in short order.
Staff and managers are aware of the issue, but they are only able to do a manual workaround. What can the Cabinet secretary do to urgently update the information technology systems of local government, Social Security Scotland and the DWP to remove that unacceptable burden from people who receive benefits and staff who work in the system?
Shirley-Anne Somerville
Scottish National Party
Clearly, the IT systems of local government and the DWP are a matter for those organisations, but Social Security Scotland continually reviews how its processes can be developed.
We are engaging with the DWP, which is investigating the situation and working quickly to resolve any issues, and updated guidance has been issued to local authorities on the matter that Ms Duncan-Glancy has raised. In the meantime, I recommend that clients who are experiencing problems or have any concerns should contact the DWP or their local authority, which can investigate their case and correct any issues.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
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