Policy Area 2A. Unpaid Carers
Summary
Unpaid carers provide essential support across Scotland, often at significant personal and financial cost. The majority of unpaid carers are women. They are more likely to reduce working hours, leave employment or experience long term impacts on income, wellbeing and health because of their caring responsibilities.
Scotland has made important commitments through the Carers Act, the Carers Charter and the National Carers Strategy. These policies set out rights to an Adult Carer Support Plan and Young Carer Statement, the principle of free at the point of use support services and the importance of involving carers in decisions about care.
Despite these foundations, unpaid carers consistently report a significant gap between policy intention and lived experience. Support is not reaching many carers who need it most. Local delivery of the Carers Act is inconsistent. Budget allocations lack transparency. Carers from minority ethnic communities often face fragmented or culturally unresponsive support, and carers on low incomes experience some of the highest poverty rates in Scotland.
These pressures are deeply gendered. Women are disproportionately responsible for unpaid care for adults and children, and failures in formal support systems increase the amount of unpaid care women must provide. This limits women’s employment opportunities, financial security and wellbeing.
Indicators in this policy area
Indicator 2A.1. Support to unpaid carers
Scotland has a clear policy commitment to unpaid carers through the Carers Act, the Carers Charter and the National Carers Strategy. These aim to ensure carers are recognised, valued and supported. In practice, delivery is inconsistent across Scotland and many unpaid carers, the majority of whom are women, struggle to access the support they are entitled to. Support for unpaid carers is essential for reducing poverty, improving wellbeing and enabling carers to sustain employment, but the gap between ambition and lived experience remains significant.
View indicator +Indicator 2A.2. Targeted Social Security Support to Unpaid Carers
Financial support for unpaid carers in Scotland includes Carer Support Payment, Carer’s Allowance Supplement and the Young Carer Grant. These payments represent important recognition of unpaid care, but they reach only a small proportion of carers. Eligibility criteria exclude many women who provide substantial care, and payment levels do not reflect the real financial costs of caring. As a result, many carers remain at high risk of poverty.
View indicator +Key challenges
- Support is not consistently reaching unpaid carers who need it most
- Delivery of the Carers Act varies between local authorities
- Carers from minority ethnic communities face fragmented and culturally unresponsive support
- Carers on low incomes experience high rates of poverty
- Budget allocations for unpaid carer support lack transparency and are not always reaching frontline services
- Limited access to breaks places significant pressure on carers, particularly women
- Very limited evidence of redistribution of unpaid care work despite policy commitments
- Young carers face significant pressures that affect education and long term wellbeing
Key strengths
- Strong statutory foundation through the Carers Act and Carers Charter
- National Carers Strategy sets out clear commitments and priorities
- Principle of free at the point of use local carer support services
- Growing recognition of the need for systemic change
- Existence of Scotland specific financial support including Carer’s Allowance Supplement and the Young Carer Grant