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

The United Kingdom is still made up of 4 different Nations! And as many others have said - that led to Devolution, with different parliaments/Assemblies who have the legal right to make their own decisions on lots of different issues.

It’s now called Adult Disability Payment up here.
I do wish they’d stop changing the names of things I get so confused!

It may be called something different but it's absolutely not a "much higher" benefit as that poster suggested.

The rates are exactly the same.

@KindleAndCake Because Health and Taxation are developed matters and their Governments can make their own choices on how to direct some of the money raised.

Other things that may surprise you are:
Prescriptions are free in Scotland and Wales.
Scottish students studying at Scottish Universities do not pay tuition fees
Income tax rates are higher in Scotland.

But the NHS isn’t a means tested service?

Or that in England free child care hours start at 9 months now ( I think) and here in Scotland it’s 3 !!
But yes, it’s because we’re a devolved country and this is what our government has decided

Same reason my son had to wait nearly two years for equipment that newly diagnosed diabetics in many areas of England can expect to walk out the hospital door with right from the start.
Different pots of money, different streams of revenue, different people in charge of said pots and streams.

I live in Scotland and I earn £55,000.

im £1600 a year (£32 a week) worse off than a person in england earning the same.

them’s the breaks.

Those complaining about free prescriptions in Scotland.... Are you aware that 95% of prescriptions are free in England because the majority of medication is dispensed to people who are exempt from charges, including those under 16, over 60, and individuals on benefits or with specific medical conditions? (This is the statistic for 2022/23 from UK government sources). Of the people who do pay, many become sicker because they don't take the prescribed medication, or ration it and so ultimately cost the NHS more. This is why Scotland and Wales don't have prescription charges - because they make no economic or social sense.

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

It’s now called Adult Disability Payment up here.
I do wish they’d stop changing the names of things, I get so confused!

Means testing.

Well their shitty ship is sinking. They have let the people of Scotland down for too long.
People on a huge salary should not be getting free prescriptions when this money could be spent on much better things (exhaustive list).
But then all the SNP care about are getting votes from stupid people.

It's a different country! That's why.

Scotland isn’t the only place to have free prescriptions.
I’m glad NI does, why should people with chronic illnesses pay more for a supposedly free at the point of use healthcare system?The number of protected conditions with free prescriptions is tiny and extremely dated. When I lived in England, having to pay for regular asthma medication which was chronic, life long and lift threatening was ridiculous.

Free prescriptions for all are a fuckin disgrace.
This is not something I am proud of being Scottish.

That doesn’t make any more sense. The United Kingdom is made up of 4 largely self governing states.

But, the United Kingdom doesn't have one government?

carers allowance is in any case (even Scotland) and abysmal amount considering the hours of care must be provided. I think your anger is misplaced but it's only gonna get worse with a lot of people likely to lose PIP and the carers losing carers allowance as a result. I paid carers are treated like the lowest of the lowest in this country.

People in the UK generally want decisions made at a local level. They think local politicians and/or administrators know their community better. That could be tuition costs, availability of particular treatments in an NHS trust or number of recycling bins from the council.

The same people do not particularly like the so called postcode lottery, especially when someone over the road/hill/valley gets more of something. They don't notice when the person over the road/hill/valley gets less of something else or pays more income tax to make the budget balance.

England holds the voting block of the UK, if england wants certain things, they need to vote for parties that offer that or new parties need to spring up to fill a gap if there is one.

Scotland is still a different country

Another one who says 'we are a union of four nations, not one'. It is amazing how many English people do not understand this fact. I work in all four nations, and it is only England folk who do not get this personally or professionally.

And I pay nearly £2k more income tax than if I lived south of the border - but enjoy the many benefits that brings by living up here, from free prescriptions, to different benefit systems and levels, or my children's free university tuition.

You are right to be upset that a carers allowance is lower where you are, and I am of the view it is not high enough in any of our four nations.

What's the higher pip equivalent?

Why is it fair parents in Northern Ireland get much less help with childcare costs that the rest of the UK? Or students here have access to much lower maintenance loans?

Devolved governments decide their own priorities.