People will benefit from new system
I hope readers had a restful festive break, and would like to wish you all peace and prosperity for 2019.
We enter the New Year as we left 2018, with political chaos at Westminster amidst the continuing uncertainty surrounding Brexit.
While the Scottish Government is, quite rightly, keeping a close eye on developments and stand ready to protect Scotland’s interests, whatever the outcome, they are also concentrating on their domestic programme for Government.
To that end, several announcements made in the past two weeks are of note.
In contrast to the Tories’ callous approach to social security, evidenced by the disastrous rollout of Universal Credit, the SNP Scottish Government is establishing a welfare system with compassion and dignity at its heart.
Following last year’s successful launch of two new benefits – the Carer’s Allowance Supplement and the Best Start Grant pregnancy and baby payment – Social Security Scotland will launch four new benefits this year.
Low-income families and carers are set to benefit from:
• Best Start Grant nursery age payment – a £250 payment that will be made to low income families around the time a child can start nursery
• Best Start Grant school payment – a £250 payment that will be made to low income families around the time a child can start school
• Funeral Expense Assistance – providing eligible low income families with a contribution towards the cost of a funeral
• Young Carer Grant – The grant will be awarded to young carers aged 16 to 18 who do at least 16 hours of caring a week, but do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance.
It will help to improve young carers’ quality of life, helping them take part in employment, social or leisure opportunities.
These are just the first steps in the delivery of our new social security system and in 2019, Social Security Scotland will start delivery of even more benefits to support people in our society.
Our mission is for everyone to live in dignity, and expanding the new social security system will be an important part of achieving this.
As we move into 2019, we are determined to make further progress on tackling inequality and reducing poverty.
By April 1 this year free person care will be available for everyone that requires it, following the implementation of “Frank’s Law.”
The policy is named after Frank Kopel, the former Dundee United player, who was diagnosed with and later died from early onset dementia.
Free personal care for older people is one of the landmark achievements of devolution with nearly 76,000 people over the age of 65 currently benefiting from it in Scotland.
The implementation of Frank’s Law extends this to eligible patients under the age of 65, and at least 9,000 more families will now benefit.
The Scottish Government’s implementation of the policy will go further than the original call to extend free personal care to those with dementia, and will mean everyone who requires personal care will receive