Falkirk frontline social care workers to get £500 thank you from First Minister

Falkirk's social care workers who have been on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis have been assured that most of them will have received their £500 thank you payment by the end of April.
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The one-off, pro-rata payment was announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last November, to recognise the dedication of over 400,000 workers throughout the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Initially, staff were expecting the payment by February and many were wondering why they appeared to have been left out.

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However, the most recent Scottish Government announcement says it has been working with local authorities to ensure they are all able to make payments to their staff as soon as possible.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon  (Photo by JANE BARLOW/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon  (Photo by JANE BARLOW/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (Photo by JANE BARLOW/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

They have confirmed that payments will be made through the normal payroll system by the end of next month.

For personal assistants who are employed directly, however, there are technical and logistical issues that need to be worked through to complete the payment process.

A government spokesperson said they are working on a proposal to deliver this payment and promised that further details will be published by the end of March.

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Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “We are hugely grateful for the hard work of social care workers across Scotland as they have risen to the challenge of responding to the pandemic.

“Delivering vital care to individuals under incredibly difficult circumstances has demonstrated the outstanding commitment, skill, dedication and compassion of our care-givers.

“This payment recognises the resilience of all of those who have been, and continue to, provide exceptional care on the front line of this crisis.

“My heartfelt thanks for all that you do every single day to support people across Scotland.”

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Staff employed in registered adult social care or children’s residential care services who have been employed for a minimum of a continuous four-week period between March 17 and November 30, 2020 will be eligible for the payment.

This includes those who have since left or retired.

The payment includes staff employed by local authorities or health boards, third, voluntary, charitable and private sectors as well as personal assistants who are employed directly by the person they support or their family.

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