Bob Doris MSP today welcomed the decision by Glasgow City Council's Executive Committee to make weekly cash payments to the kinship carers of the city's looked after children for the first time ever. The initial payments of £40 is an interim measure towards giving financial parity with the allowances currently given to foster carers.

Although this initial payment makes no differentiation based on age it is likely that by 2010-11 kinship carers should receive (depending on age) around £120 each week. This commitment is part of implementing the Scottish Government's historic concordat with Councils.

However it emerged that the Department of Work and Pensions may claw back benefits from many kinship carers, particularly child tax credits, and that Glasgow City Council will have to find ways of making discretionary payments that do not affect benefits.

Mr Doris has today written to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to ask him to urgently update DWP rules to ensure that kinship carers do not lose out and to ensure that the benefit of these payments is not dependent on each local authority finding "ways round the system".

Commenting on today's developments the SNP MSP for Glasgow said: "I welcome this initial payment from Glasgow City Council and will press them to reach the full amount that kinship carers of looked after children are due. The Council must also make sure that in future they pay the kinship carers of older children a higher rate, as this is how the city treats its foster carers.

"Today is about the first step on the road to parity of esteem, respect and just as importantly financial support that kinship carers deserve. If it was not for them many more children would be in residential care and be costing Council Tax payers much more than these payments are. I am proud that this SNP Government commitment is now set for delivery.

"However it looks as if some of our poorest kinship carers may have their money nicked by the UK Department of Work and Pensions and it would be unacceptable if Scottish tax payers and kinship carers themselves had to subsidise the UK Treasury.

"Benefits such as Child Tax Credit must not be clawed back. I have today written to James Purnell (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions) to insist that the UK Government updates rules as a matter of urgency to ensure that Scotland is not penalised for trying to help some of the most vulnerable and vital people in our society.

"It looks like Glasgow City Council will look for ways round the system but they shouldn't have to do that and I would say to the Council that any money should go unpaid I would urge them to hold it in an account to be given back to kinship carers once rules have been changed."

Notes:

• Letter from Bob Doris MSP to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
  
  
• There are around 600 looked after children Glasgow (2,000 Scotland wide).
  
  
• Glasgow Council set up a sub committee to look at kinship care following a meeting between Bob Doris MSP and Steven Purcell earlier in the year.