The Carer’s Allowance Up-rating (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2020

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend earnings limits used to determine entitlement to carer’s allowance and entitlement to additional payments payable to carer’s allowance recipients, so far as payment is the responsibility of the Scottish Ministers. This adjustment relates to the up-rating, by the Scottish Ministers, of the weekly rate of payment of carer’s allowance (see the Carer’s Allowance Up-rating (Scotland) Order 2020 (S.S.I. 2020/116)).

Regulation 2 amends regulation 8 of the Social Security (Invalid Care Allowance) Regulations 1976 (S.I. 1976/409). It increases the amount which a person eligible for payment of carer’s allowance from the Scottish Ministers can earn in a given week without being deemed to be gainfully employed.

Regulation 3 amends schedule 2 of the Social Security Benefit (Dependency) Regulations 1977 (S.I. 1977/343). The effect is to increase the amount which the partner of a person eligible for payment of carer’s allowance from the Scottish Ministers can earn in a given week without the person receiving carer’s allowance losing any entitlement to what is payable by way of an additional payment where that person is entitled to receive child benefit. This addition is known as child dependency increase and is payable only to those with transitional protection. Child dependency increase was abolished by section 1(3)(e) and schedule 6 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 (c.21) but saved for transitional cases by article 3 of the Tax Credits Act 2002 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/938).

No business and regulatory impact assessment has been prepared for these Regulations as no impact upon business, charities or voluntary bodies is foreseen.