The post below was issued on the Scottish Government website on 4th January 2021 and will apply to PAs that were shielding. It only applies if their pay was affected.  below and the link within it about the money available to shielding PA’s. Note that this is only available to PA’s who have had to be shielding.
 
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-shielding-social-care-workers-support-scheme/

23/12/20 16:12

Update on payment to thank health and social care staff

Health and social care staff who are eligible for the £500 thank you payment will begin to receive it in the new year. 
Announced by the First Minister at the end of November, health workers will begin receiving their payment from February 2021 and payments to social care staff will start in March 2021. Payments will be made to health and social care staff through their normal payroll system. The relevant pay circular has been issued to NHS Boards, for social care a new payment mechanism is required. We are working urgently with social care partners to set this up. 
Employers will be asked to offer the payment in instalments over three months to minimise any impact on Universal Credit awards. Employers will be asked to make this offer to ensure staff receive the full benefit of this payment, as the ability to exempt these payments from benefit calculations is not within the current powers of the Scottish Government and sit with the UK Department for Work and Pensions.   
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said:
“Our colleagues across health and social care have gone above and beyond to deliver much needed care to people under incredibly difficult circumstances – I am hugely grateful for their hard work, resilience and dedication.
“This thank you payment recognises the debt we all owe those who have been – and continue to be – on the very front line of this crisis, helping to save lives and to protect us all.
“Thank you for all you are doing to support the services that make a significant difference to people’s lives across Scotland.”
Background
More detail on the roll-out of the one-off payment, including who is eligible, has been published. 
The pro-rata £500 bonus scheme is funded from the Scottish Government's COVID-19 support package.

Contact Information
Scottish Government

Fiona Pringle

0131 244 4001

07584 883546

noreplycomms@gov.scot

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A Cold Weather Payment has been triggered for parts of Dunfermline and West Fife for the period 28/12/20 to 03/01/2021. To find out if this affects you, and to claim, visit: tinyurl.com/nxq44q7

Scam Alert
We have been alerted by a Scottish Care member that one of their care staff has been scammed. They received a phone call from someone claiming that they are from the Scottish Government and asked for their bank details to be shared to get their £500 Covid-19 bonus payment. The scammer then used these details to access their bank account. Please note: You will never be asked to disclose any personal details or your bank account details at any time with regard to this payment. Most people will receive the bonus payment via your regular payroll method. Please be alert to any such phone calls.

Katherine Hart of the Trading Standards Institute posts regular updates:-
https://www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy/news-room/2020/outbreak-of-scams-during-coronavirus-pandemic

https://www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy/news-room/2020/amazon-phishing-scam-resurfaces​


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 ADULTS WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY IN SCOTLAND The Fraser of Allander Institute has a project looking at areas where the public sector, employers and civil society could help the lives of people with learning disabilities better.. ‘Scotland’s Invisible People’ click here - Report - Scotland’s invisible people | Fraser of Allander Institute focusses on setting the context around the landscape for adults with a learning disability in Scotland. It is also available as an easy read summary. - click here

Click Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport issues letter supporting social care support in hospitalsThe letter highlights the need to ensure that people who receive support in the community and in their own home, are able to continue to receive the support they need when they are admitted to hospital. The letter sates:
‘We recognise that those who require social care support for day to day living will continue to need that support by  people who understand their needs when they are in hospital. This support should continue whether they are in the community or in hospital‘
‘It is the Scottish Government’s expectation, with the integration of health and social care, that both access and funding will not be a barrier to someone receiving social care support from their paid or unpaid carers in hospital‘
This is an important statement to recognise the need for support that people have and that funding considerations should not become a barrier to people receiving the support they need. The letter also highlights the role and importance of carers and states:
‘. . . you will want to remember that carers are not to be counted as “visitors” whether they are paid carers or unpaid carers. Those who are providing care to a supported person should be supported to continue providing care if that person is admitted to hospital. This includes paid and unpaid carers as they are both essential to safe effective care.‘
There is an expectation that people who need support should not experience any difficulties with receiving the support that they need when being admitted to hospital and states:
‘The level of person centred social care provided to an individual should remain consistent regardless of whether they are in the community or in hospital‘
‘This is about the continuation of social care provision in the community being received in hospital, not the introduction of new social care for patients‘
‘Additionally there is a duty to involve unpaid carers when the person they care for is being discharged from hospital‘
‘It is a legal requirement to make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities‘
You can see a copy of the letter here: Letter from the Cabinet Secretary 17112020 Social care in hospitals
here to edit.