Dear stakeholder
This is the first anniversary of the launch of the Young Carers Grant by Social Security Scotland.
I write to you today to ensure that you have information to hand which I would ask you to pass on to any young person who may be eligible for this payment.
Background
Young people aged 16-18 are often at a transitional point in their lives as they move into the adult world. They may be finishing school, getting a first job, undertaking further study or taking up new opportunities. For many young adults with significant caring responsibilities, their opportunities may be limited by their caring role. The aim of the grant is to help young people improve their quality of life and take part in opportunities that are the norm for other young adults.
The grant pays £305.10 to those eligible and can be applied for each year providing the young carer is still within the 16-18 year old bracket and meets the eligibility criteria (provides unpaid care for someone on a certain disability benefit for at least 16 hours each week).
Evidence shows that young carers have poorer physical and mental wellbeing than non-carers, and are more likely to live in in the most deprived areas and experience social isolation.
- Young carers are more likely to live in an area of multiple deprivation – 3.1% of young people aged under 25 living in the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland are carers compared with 1.7% in the least deprived areas.
- 28% of young carers living in the most deprived areas care for 35 hours per week or more; compared with 17% of carers living in the least deprived areas.
- 22% of younger carers (aged under 25) have a long-term condition or disability. This is twice the rate for non-carers (11%) (Scotland’s Carers, 2015).
Please find attached a link to a recent Facebook video posting https://fb.watch/1ga3P3k5qL/
Find out more or Apply online at – https://www.mygov.scot/young-carer-grant/
or call us on 0800 182 2222
Colin Smith
Communities Team Leader (Clydebank)
Communities Team
West Dunbartonshire Council
CTCO
10 Sylvania Way South
Clydebank
G81 1EA
07795540160
01389 738670
(I do not work on a Monday)