Adult Social Care

The next in my series on what has the SNP government done for Scotland since being elected. A reasonable question when one party has led the Government for so long. There are many, many achievements and positives to answer that question. Today I'm focussing on how the SNP government has delivered adult social care support, allowing so many of us in Scotland to live full and independent lives.

Throughout our time in office, the SNP Government has ensured these vital services remain accessible and beneficial for all Scots. Meanwhile, social care in England has been neglected by Westminster - with a recent King's Fund report describing the system in England as “in desperate need of change.” Meanwhile, the SNP led Scottish Government has fortified social care in Scotland, showing demonstrable commitment to social care which far outperforms that of Westminster.

Personal care in Scotland is free to everyone over 65 and to under-65s with certain conditions, regardless of income. We know the lifeline that free personal care provides, and that should not be constrained by personal finances as the cost of living with long term illness or disability can be huge. The means-tested method of delivering social care in England requires most people to pay for their own care until their assets fall below £23,250 - often resulting in severe financial strain for those desperately needing support. The SNP are committed to preserving free social care for all those who need it in Scotland - you can read more about how the SNP has championed health and social care in Scotland here: Delivering on the NHS.

In July 2025, the SNP Government moved, and parliament passed, the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill, which will establish a National Care Service across Scotland. We’re involving staff, service users and their families, unpaid carers and third sector organisations in designing a National Care Service, to ensure that this system works effectively for all who encounter it. We care deeply about establishing a National Care Service that provides the highest quality care consistently across Scotland, and continuously developing the sector so that it can serve many generations of Scots.

We also spend more on social care in Scotland than in England - with per-head spending 36% higher in Scotland. In fact, Westminster spending on social care in England has seen a real terms fall per-head in the past decade. Improvement of these services requires deep commitment from governments, especially as our population ages. The SNP are fully invested in developing our social care system, through funding, training, and engaging constructively with all stakeholders to serve Scotland in the best way possible.

Throughout all of this, care staff are at the heart of social care provision. Without them, we could not hope to offer a robust and impactful service that delivers transformative care for the people of Scotland. That’s why in Scotland, we have introduced a higher minimum wage than in England for care staff. As a result of this, Scottish care staff are roughly £750 better off a year. Furthermore, I strongly believe in a minimum wage that is equal for all age groups, defending those who are beginning

their careers in social care before the age of 21 and encouraging young people’s involvement in the health and social care sector. You can read more about this here: Minimum Wage Inequality.

Social care has the power to transform lives. The SNP Government has shown a demonstrable commitment to safeguarding and developing this sector for generations to come - through increased spending, acting on feedback, and uplifting and defending the frontline social care workers without whom social care in Scotland would not be a reality. Casting your vote on 7th May for me and the SNP will ensure that social care in Scotland continues to serve all those who need it.