Care exerperienced burdened by earnings gap - Third Force News (TFN)

15 October 2024
by Robert Armour

They traditionally earn less than their peers and cohorts

Care experienced people could be facing a wage gap as high as £10,000 compared to their non-care experienced peers a report has revealed.

Scottish charity, Who Cares? Scotland has published 10 key solutions following the research  ‘Lifelong Rights for Care Experienced People, highlighting that some with a background in care are significantly struggling to make ends meet.

Data also reveals that those in employment are potentially earning less than their non-Care Experienced peers. For those aged 18 – 21, there was a potential 29% earnings gap. However, this widens to 38% for those aged 22 – 29 which is the sum of nearly £10,000.

Furthermore, startling data reveals 44% of survey respondents were classed as living in relative poverty, which is double the national figure of 21% reported by the Scottish Government.

The second in a five-part series, the paper is part of the charity’s Lifelong Rights Campaign, to show that Care Experienced people currently do not have the same life outcomes as their non-Care Experienced peers.

Louise Hunter, chief executive at Who Cares? Scotland, said: “Money impacts every aspect of someone’s life – from mental health, relationships, career opportunities to future aspirations. Financial security is not just about the amount someone has in the bank.

“By ensuring we support care experienced people to have the best start in their financial independence with the right education, tools and support we can set them up to thrive. But there must also be the safety net when things can go wrong.

“It’s important for people to be supported into sustainable employment and earn enough to live a life without being in poverty. The 10 solutions we put forward in this paper, can be the foundations for providing positive financial support to care experienced people no matter their age or situation.”

The paper is based on a variety of sources including an online survey conducted by the charity and data from its advocacy work with care experienced people who have accessed advocacy in local authorities and through their National Advocacy Helpline.

It concludes by setting out 10 solutions which includes:

• Widening access to mid-market rental schemes to include specific provision for care experienced adults.
• Financial education should be made widely available and implemented from the early stages of care.
• Waiving council tax and rent arrears within local authority housing and publicly funded housing associations for care experienced individuals over 26 who were unable to access the council tax exemption or benefit from aftercare support.
• The Scottish Welfare Fund should ringfence funding for an emergency fund for care experienced adults, with no age cap.

The charity believes these are necessary and realistic actions for duty bearers to take before the conclusion of The Promise. The Promise is a flagship policy during former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s tenure. Which promised to transform the children’s care system.

Who Cares? Scotland is the national membership and independent advocacy organisation for care experienced people in Scotland. That is those who are currently, or have ever been, in care such as kinship care, secure care, foster care children’s homes, looked after at home with social work supervision and adoption.