Scottish Government

Views are being sought on plans to improve support for Scotland’s community of unpaid carers through the introduction of a new benefit. Under Scottish Government proposals, Scottish Carer’s Assistance will replace Carer’s Allowance, currently delivered by the Department of Work and

Over 658,000 Carer’s Allowance Supplement payments have been made to 126,055 carers since this additional payment, unique in the UK, was introduced in September 2018. In total, £188 million has been paid to carers since launch and just under 82,000 eligible carers received a payment in D

Eligible parents are being urged to apply for Scottish Child Payment on the first anniversary of its roll-out. The payment of £10 per week, unique to Scotland, began in February 2021 as a direct measure to tackle poverty. It provides regular, additional financial support to parents and carers

Changes to help improve the planning application process and the service received by applicants have been announced by planning minister Tom Arthur. Following a consultation in 2019 that sought views on reviewing the planning performance and fee regime, planning fees will rise from 1 April 2022.

More than 400 charities, organisations and advisers have signed up to refer Scots struggling with their energy bills to a £4 million support fund.

Responses to a consultation on the National Care Service show ‘huge enthusiasm’ for changing the way support and services are delivered for people who use community health and social care in Scotland. Almost 1,300 responses were received from a wide range of individuals and organisations

An amendment will be brought forward during Stage 2 of the Scottish Government's Budget Bill to allocate an additional £120 million to local authorities. The funding represents the equivalent of a 4% Council Tax rise.

The Scottish Government, SP Energy Networks and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution have launched a trial called Project Re-Heat to decarbonise homes in Highland and across Scotland. The industry-first project will trial how electricity networks can respond to the increase

Drugs policy minister Angela Constance has appointed former Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Professor Fiona McQueen as vice-chair of the Drug Deaths Taskforce. Professor McQueen has experience across a range of clinical areas and is a former Executive Nurse Director at NHS Lanarkshire and NHS Ayrshire &

The new chair of the Drug Deaths Taskforce has been announced as David Strang, a former Chief Constable who previously chaired the Independent Inquiry into Mental Health Services in Tayside. Mr Strang was also HM Chief Inspector of Prisons in Scotland. He takes up this new position with immediate ef

New staff joining the social care workforce are to have entry costs paid by the Scottish Government until the end of March. Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) checks and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) registration will now be funded to help encourage more staff into the profession and ad

A Scottish Government reporter has rejected an appeal for 80 homes to be built on farmland located east of Kingseat.

Grants have been awarded to 11 crofters in some of Scotland’s most remote and marginal communities to help them improve their housing or to build new homes. The Croft House Grant scheme aims to retain and attract people to rural and remote communities with the latest round of funding awarding

Up to 2,000 jobs and £1 billion worth of future investment is expected to result from yesterday's signing of the Heads of Terms agreement between the UK Government, Scottish Government and Falkirk Council in the transformative Falkirk Growth Deal. The agreement means 11 projects can now use a

Details have been published of how the £12.5 billion in Scottish Government funding for 2022/23 will be distributed to local authorities. The settlement represents a total cash increase of £917.9 million or 7.9%, which is the equivalent of a real-term rise of 5.1% to support vital local