Humza Yousaf reveals plan to provide Young Scottish people leaving care with £2,000 support payment

Young scots transitioning out of the care system into adulthood are set to receive a £2,000 support payment.

The one-off Care Leaver payment will support young people as they move into more independent living.

The First Minister Humza Yousaf announced the payment plan on a visit to the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum (STAF) in Glasgow on Wednesday morning.

The announcement comes after findings from the Independent Care Review highlighted links between those with care experience and the increased risk of poor mental health, addiction, homelessness and exploitation.

The payment will be part of a broader support package which includes access to Continuing Care and Aftercare support for care leavers, the Care Experience Bursary, and Council Tax Exemption for care leavers.

Yousaf said: “The Scottish Government is committed to Keeping the Promise by 2030 to all of our children and young people.

“This includes making sure that all young people are given the support they need to transition from care into adulthood and more independent living.

“For any young person, at any age, moving away from home can be a challenging time when we rely heavily on family support networks. Many care experienced young people won’t have that luxury which many of us take for granted.

“Care experienced people are over one and a half times more likely to experience financial difficulties and have more than double the chance of experiencing homelessness, mainly before age 30.

“We also know that money management is a top concern for young people moving on from care.

“It is important we provide the right support at the right time for our care experienced young people – and the Care Leaver Payment will provide much needed financial support at such an important moment in their lives.”

A consultation seeking views on the proposed payment will launch on November 3, and end on January 26, 2024.