If a third party informs us that the carer is not caring for the cared for person

There may be situations where we are contacted by, or evidence is provided to us by, a third party that the carer is not providing care or may be causing harm to the cared for person. How this should be handled will depend on who has reported this to us and the level of evidence provided.

If we are informed by a relative or friend of the cared for person

If we are informed by a relative or friend of the cared for person that the carer is not providing the required amount of care to the cared for person, we should follow the normal dispute process, contacting the carer to ask for evidence to demonstrate that care is being provided – unless the relative or friend has evidence that care is not being provided from a trusted third party (see below). We should not inform the carer who raised the dispute. We would also not be able to inform the person raising the dispute of the outcome of this on the carer’s award.

If the relative or friend has raised safeguarding concerns or told us they think the cared for person is at risk of harm, the safeguarding team in Social Security Scotland should be notified. 

If we are informed by a trusted third party

We may receive a report or evidence from a trusted third party that care is not being provided by a carer. This could include local authority social work services, police or the Department for Work and Pensions.

If we have evidence from a trusted third party that is considered to demonstrate sufficiently that care is not being provided, or the cared for person is at risk from the carer, we can end the Carer Support Payment or Carer Additional Person Payment award without contacting the carer. For example we may receive a report or evidence that there is a restraining order, or a carer has been charged with causing harm to the cared for person.

This may include situations where the carer is an appointee for, or receiving payments on behalf of, the cared for person for their disability benefits and safeguarding or other concerns have been raised about the appointment.

Where safeguarding concerns are raised, the safeguarding team within Social Security Scotland should also be notified. We can end the award and send the carer a notification advising them that their award had ended as they are not providing the required number of hours of care. The carer will remain able to challenge this decision if they disagree.

As per the standard cared for person disputes process, we are not able to advise the cared for person of the outcome of any third party dispute. This would also apply to any representative or appointee of the cared for person.