Provision for one-off increase in Carer’s Allowance Supplement included in new emergency Coronavirus Bill in Scotland

Amongst other measures, new legislation will increase the Supplement by more than £230 for period from April to September 2020

Provision for a one-off increase in Carer’s Allowance Supplement is included in the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Bill that has been introduced in Scotland today.

In the explanatory notes that accompany the Bill as introduced today, the Scottish Government advises that its provisions are designed to supplement the Coronavirus Act 2020 - passed by the UK Parliament on 25 March 2020, and which the Scottish Parliament gave its consent to on 24 March 2020 - and the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 -

‘The Scottish Government considers that in order for essential public services to continue to be able to discharge their functions in the way they were intended to, further changes need to be made to the way they operate and the way that they are regulated. In addition, the Scottish Government considers that further support and flexibility for business, and for those using public services, is necessary to reflect the restrictions, in both guidance and legislation, on the way people live and work ...'

In particular, the Bill includes provision (at paragraph 4 of Schedule 1) relating to social security that amends section 81 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018 to add an additional £230.10 to awards of Carer’s Allowance Supplement for the period from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020.

In addition, the Bill includes measures relating to other areas of social welfare law, including provisions that enable a person with a student residential tenancy to terminate the accommodation agreement with their landlord; make miscellaneous changes to bankruptcy provisions including matters relating to electronic transmission of documents; increase debt thresholds for the ‘minimal asset process’ form of sequestration; and extend the time limit for Scottish Ministers to publish a statement on the circumstances and criteria for exercising powers to amend provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 relating to referrals between local authorities on the grounds of local connection.

NB - the Bill includes the requirement that its main provisions expire on 30 September 2020, unless the Scottish Parliament approves regulations providing for their effect to continue until 31 March 2021, and then for one final extension to 30 September 2021.

For more information, see Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Bill from parliament.scot