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Original poster

Why is it fair that Scottish carers get more carers allowance than English carers?

161 replies

KindleAndCake · 18/06/2025 10:09

With the carers supplement they get twice a year, it boils down to just over £11 a week more than English carers. They're all doing the same old slog, so why is it fair.
I am caring for 2 people, it is hard going. I only get carers for 1 though as that is how the system works. Ive just found out that Scottish carers get a supplement twice a year, lucky ducks. Well sort of, better than nowt.
So my question is, why? I thought we were one nation. Am I being unreasonable here.

OP posts:
Fedupmumofadultsons · 19/06/2025 10:04

I suppose because we pay higher taxes and care here is different anyone under pension age needing care it's a big chunk of there money to pay for it .Just different horse for courses

L0bstersLass · 19/06/2025 09:59

MrsSkylerWhite · 18/06/2025 11:19

You’re asking the wrong question. You ought to be asking why does the English government not pay a more reasonable carers allowance?
(Though the amount in Scotland is still insufficient.)

There's no such thing as the English Government.
I feel this is one of the main reasons that folk living in England have such a limited understanding of devolution in general and especially the devolved powers of the other nations.

Goody2ShoesAndTheFilthyBeast · 19/06/2025 07:15

It's not fair. It doesn't have to be. It's set by the Scottish government not the English one.

Tbh both amounts are an insult given the millions and millions family carers save the UK.

The uk would be utterly fucked if everyone on ca for caring for an adult said they weren't doing it any more. All those adults social services would be legally responsible for? Imagine the cost!!

stargirl1701 · 19/06/2025 07:13

We pay more in income tax.

user1476613140 · 19/06/2025 07:11

It really is a pittance, regardless of which part of the UK you live in. Considering the money saved by looking after our DC 24hrs a day throughout the year, often without respite.

Apply for any respite/short breaks grants you can!!

Original poster
KindleAndCake · 19/06/2025 07:02

OK, I've read through all your comments, thankyou.
I am well aware of devolution.
I was just unaware until yesterday that the Scots carers got paid a little bit more than the English. Good for them. But as a poster put, maybe that isn't what I should be looking at, it should be the pittance we're 'paid' to begin with.

OP posts:
Butchyrestingface · 18/06/2025 21:46

@KindleAndCake I think your case has been thoroughly 'not proven'. Grin

Snugglemonkey · 18/06/2025 21:44

Scottishskifun · 18/06/2025 10:20

In Scotland the taxes are higher for people with different thresholds.

It's also devolution so Scottish govt get to decide what money is spent on. Flip side there is no under 3s childcare funding unless you qualify for assisted 2 year old funding which tends to be UC households.

Indeed. We are not all the same. The Scottish Parliament have different spending priorities. As there are different spending priorities in Wales and Northern Ireland. Moone can just have the bits that are most advantageous to them sadly.

slinkiemalinkiey · 18/06/2025 20:24

Scots pay more tax on the higher levels.

user1476613140 · 18/06/2025 20:23

I get UC, Scottish Child Payment, Carer's Allowance, CDP. Helps to have a government that cares.

user1476613140 · 18/06/2025 20:21

So there's that thing called devolution...

Original poster
KindleAndCake · 18/06/2025 20:19

Butchyrestingface · 18/06/2025 13:51

I love how you've come back to answer all the questions and make a really robust argument for your case.

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I've been busy caring, not had time to reply. What case am I meant to be answering for?

OP posts:
BigAnne · 18/06/2025 18:47

TruthOrAlethiometer · 18/06/2025 17:04

Parents in Scotland also get the Scottish child payment if they receive any qualifying benefit, which is around £50 a month per child. So you get UC, CB and then Scottish child payment on top, which you other nations don’t get.

We have different tax structures, and it’s what our government has chosen to spend money on 🤷‍♀️

Scottish child payment is £100 per month

BigAnne · 18/06/2025 18:33

Mumble12 · 18/06/2025 13:14

Lots of things are better in Scotland - free prescriptions, free university education and a much better discretionary housing payment system, to name a few.

Free personal care for elderly and disabled..

tammienorrie · 18/06/2025 18:22

We all pay more in tax so that these benefits can be provided.

AmberTurtles · 18/06/2025 18:19

.

Glasgowgal200 · 18/06/2025 18:18

Devolved government can decide on their own rates etc for some benefits

Computersaysdontwantto · 18/06/2025 18:07

Oh and there are some truly diabolical Train services in England too. West cost main line. Transpennine. Really terrible.

Blushingm · 18/06/2025 18:07

stripeysockrock · 18/06/2025 13:43

Scotland gets a lot for free that England doesn’t.

Home care
Prescriptions
Tuition fees
etc

England is always bottom of the barrel for this kind of thing.

The Scottish Government make the decision on how to spend their tax payers money, same as they do in Wales and same as in England

why aren’t you saying it’s not fair because some one in say Norway gets more - different nations, different governments decisions.

people in Scotland pay more in tax than those in England - is that fair???

Computersaysdontwantto · 18/06/2025 18:04

MandarinCat · 18/06/2025 17:58

Ok, so not as simple as
"because we pay more taxes"
"because we are a completely different country" as a lot of responses on this thread have suggested.

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No not at all. As part of the uk we get a redistribution of UK wealth, and that makes up a large part of scotlands budget.

which goes to fund public transport in Scotland. If you don’t like your public transport, blame the Scottish government. It’s got nothing to do with Westminster. They do spend more on public transport in England - see HS2 - but as this is an English project Scotland gets an equivalent amount given to it to spend on equivalent Scottish projects via the Barnett formula.

Hatty65 · 18/06/2025 18:02

Well it's a different country. No point in comparing. You get free prescriptions in Scotland and free University fees too. But my MIL council tax is much higher than mine.

MandarinCat · 18/06/2025 17:58

Computersaysdontwantto · 18/06/2025 16:21

Where do you think? The South East of England and the Greater London area are the only parts of the UK that raise more in tax than they spend. And they raise massively more than they spend. The redistribution of this extra tax raised by London and the south east is built into the Barnett formula.

www.ons.gov.uk/economy/governmentpublicsectorandtaxes/publicsectorfinance/articles/countryandregionalpublicsectorfinances/financialyearending2023

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Ok, so not as simple as
"because we pay more taxes"
"because we are a completely different country" as a lot of responses on this thread have suggested.

WhyamIinahandcartandwherearewegoing · 18/06/2025 17:47

@TruthOrAlethiometer I totally agree with you. Grew up about the same distance from Glasgow and the transport absolutely should be better. Was more addressing the comment that a mega city the size of London would of course have more transport costs (am talking overall, not necessarily per capita) because of the sheer volume of people.

that said - Scotgov could choose to spend less on some projects to inject more into a pretty dire set up. But that means making the hard choice to take cash from elsewhere, and they aren’t good at unpopular but necessary decisions.

And services seem to be getting chipped away at every year, with “alternative timetables” phrase trotted out to hide missed punctuality and cancelled trains. I’ve never known it so bad.

I’m sorry you have to commute in it 😓

Computersaysdontwantto · 18/06/2025 17:30

outdooryone · 18/06/2025 16:54

Ah, all those energy companies with head office in London and listing on Stock Exchange, which is traded in London. Yet the actual source of the wealth is via steel, oil, gas, nuclear and renewables, and a multitude of other companies who work across the UK and employ people in all four home nations, but the profit and shareholder benefit is assigned to London and South East...
And of course we need to ask why London gets a larger share of many things - such as 4x the amount spent on public transport than other areas of the UK?

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Can you clarify your public transport spending comment as I think you may be mistaken.

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