McAlpine welcome SNP commitment to carers

Carers’ allowance will rise to the level of jobseekers’ allowance if the SNP are in government next year, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

 

Speaking at the SNP annual conference, the First Minister said that if re-elected next year, the SNP will increase carers’ allowance to bring it to the same level as jobseekers’ allowance as soon as it has the power to do so.

 

The increase will benefit carers by £600 a year.

 

South Scotland MSP Joan McAlpine, who co-convenes the cross-party group on carers in Holyrood has welcomed the news.

 

Commenting Ms McAlpine said:

 

“The contribution carers make to our society is priceless. But successive UK governments have allowed the support they receive in the form of carers’ allowance to fall to the lowest level of all working age benefits.

 

“The SNP have long called for carers’ allowance to be equivalent of jobseekers’ allowance and it is welcome that the Scottish Parliament will soon have the power to do this.

 

“Now all we need is guarantees from the UK government that these additional payments to the poorest carers will not simply be clawed back through a corresponding deduction in means tested UK wide benefits like Universal Credit.”