This week marks carers week. This afternoon, I will host a round table in Parliament to discuss the Family Fund’s new report “The Cost of Caring 2025” and the urgent challenges that it highlights for families who are raising disabled and seriously ill children. With that in mind, what action is the First Minister’s Government taking to better support carers across Scotland?

We take a number of actions to support the invaluable role of carers in our society. We are investing more than £88 million a year in local carers support through funding for local authorities under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016. By the end of 2025, unpaid carers will be up to £4,400 better off due to the introduction of carers allowance supplement in 2018—a payment that is only available here in Scotland—with more than £330 million in payments to date.

Through the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill, which was passed this week, we will establish a right to breaks from caring to support carers’ health and wellbeing. Ahead of that being introduced, we have increased funding for voluntary sector short breaks to £13 million, which includes £2.2 million for the Family Fund’s take a break Scotland programme for parent carers. That is alongside £2.9 million this year for the Family Fund’s Scotland grant programme for families on a low income who are raising a disabled child.

I hope that that gives Karen Adam some confidence that the Government is standing with carers and recognising the invaluable contribution that they make to our society today.

That concludes First Minister’s question time. There will be a short suspension to allow the gallery and the chamber to clear.

Meeting suspended.

On resuming—