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The UK Government’s regulations, which govern the transition of the disability benefits under the Scotland Act 2016, do not allow for separate elements of PIP to be transferred separately.

Scottish Government Officials have been in discussions with Motability with a view to making sure that the scheme is available in Scotland when we take on delivery of disability benefits. We understand that around 800 Motability vehicles a week are being taken away from disabled people across the UK, as a result of the transition to PIP. This is a matter of significant concern that we have raised with the UK Government.

The agenda for the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare is still to be agreed.

The Scottish Government has made its position on passported benefits clear. For example, paragraph 127 of the policy memorandum published alongside the Social Security (Scotland) Bill states, in relation to disability assistance, that - “Passporting arrangements for all three of the benefits will continue”. That is why the Bill provides Scottish Ministers with powers to make provision, in regulations for each of the eight types of assistance that are proposed. This includes making provision for passported benefits.

Section 14 of the Social Security (Scotland) Bill provides Scottish Ministers with the powers to set and vary the rates of Disability Assistance, in regulations. This includes varying the rates in line with inflation.

The aim of the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF) statutory guidance is to provide a framework for local authorities to promote consistency in decision making when administering Community Care Grants and Crisis Grants.

The SWF guidance is reviewed on an annual basis and the latest version was published on 1 April 2017, following consultation with a wide range of organisations, including the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG), Shelter, Scottish Prison Service (SPS), Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), local authorities and Citizens Advice Scotland. More recently, the Scottish Government published standalone SWF guidance for local authorities regarding assistance with housing costs for 18-21 years. SWF guidance can be accessed from the following link: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/fairerscotland/scottishwelfarefund/socialfund

Direct assistance for applicants who wish to apply for the Scottish Welfare Fund is available from local authorities as well as third sector organisations.

Further consideration is being given to the guidance in light of SPSO's annual report, published on 29 June 2017.

The campaign webpage, www.young.scot/youngcarers - was viewed more than 2,000 times between 12 June and 2 July 2017.

A breakdown of reach and engagement by social media channels is published in the answer to question S5W-09796 on 17 July 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Carer’s Allowance is currently reserved to the UK Government, and is administered by the Department for Work and Pensions. Information on applications is not held by the Scottish Government. We will review DWP’s information when it is published in due course.

Effectiveness of the Young Carer’s benefit take-up activity is being measured by social media reach.

A breakdown of reach and engagement by social media channels is published in the answer to question S5W-09796 on 17 July 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The budget for the activity being carried out in 2017 to promote uptake of Carer's Allowance among young carers in Scotland is £20,000 + VAT.

The audience for this activity was young carers in Scotland. There are an estimated 49,000 young carers in Scotland, of whom more than 7,000 are estimated to be eligible for Carer’s Allowance. The campaign’s reach and performance is in the following table. The campaign was delivered by Young Scot and the figures cover the period of Carers' Week, 12-18 June.

The Scottish Government’s Social Security Twitter account, launched on the first day of the Young Carers Benefit Take Up campaign, achieved reach of 27,165.

Note these figures cover Young Scot and Scottish Government social media channels only. They do not include the reach of stakeholders and partners who posted supporting content.

The Young Carers activity was created with input from the Scottish Government’s Social Security Directorate, Health and Social Care Directorate, Scottish Government Marketing, Young Scot, Carers Scotland and Carer’s Trust Scotland.

On 29 March 2017 my officials confirmed to the Public Petitions Committee that the Scottish Government is not considering including carers in the National Concessionary Travel Scheme. This was in response to Petition PE01632 which is currently before the Committee.

However, there is a range of support available to carers in Scotland funded by the Scottish Government and local authorities.

Although the National Concessionary Travel Scheme does not contain specific eligibility criteria for carers, eligible disabled people can apply for a companion concessionary travel card which allows the card holder and a companion (who may be a carer) to travel together free of charge for the same bus journey.

In addition, a substantial number of carers qualify for free bus travel under the National Concessionary Travel Scheme because they are aged 60 or over. Younger carers may also benefit from the National Concessionary Travel Scheme for Young People, which provides discounts on bus and rail travel for all young people living in Scotland aged 16 to 18 and full time volunteers up to age 25.