- Financial support for young people leaving care
Young people transitioning from the care system into adulthood
are to receive a one-off Care Leaver Payment of £2,000 to support
them to move into more independent living under proposals being
considered.
The First Minister announced the proposed payment will be
co-designed with care experienced people to ensure it meets their
needs and helps reduce some of the financial challenges they
face.
This follows findings from the Independent Care Review which
highlighted links between those with care experience and the
increased risk of poor mental health, addiction, homelessness and
exploitation.
First Minister said:
“The Scottish Government is committed to Keeping the Promise by
2030 to all of our children and young people. This includes
making sure that all young people are given the support they need
to transition from care into adulthood and more independent
living.
“For any young person, at any age, moving away from home can be a
challenging time when we rely heavily on family support networks.
Many care experienced young people won’t have that luxury which
many of us take for granted.
“Care experienced people are over one and a half times more
likely to experience financial difficulties and have more than
double the chance of experiencing homelessness, mainly before age
30. We also know that money management is a top concern for young
people moving on from care.
“It is important we provide the right support at the right time
for our care experienced young people – and the Care Leaver
Payment will provide much needed financial support at such an
important moment in their lives.”
Background
The First Minister made the announcement on a visit to the
Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum (STAF) in Glasgow this
morning.
The Scottish Government’s Programmes for Government in 2021/22
and 2022/23 committed to developing a payment to provide young
people moving on from care with additional financial security.
The proposed Care Leaver Payment will form part of a broader
package of support which includes access to Continuing Care and
Aftercare support for care leavers, the Care Experience Bursary,
and Council Tax Exemption for care leavers.
A consultation seeking views on the proposed payment will launch
on 3 November and end on 26 January 2024. The consultation paper
will contain questions on a range of issues including the purpose
of the payment, the eligibility criteria of the payment, and the
support required to apply for and manage the payment.
