Key Points from Scottish Draft Budget 2012-13


  1. The  Change Fund for older people’s services will continue for the next three years with a small increase overall to £230 million
  2. A new  Early Years and Early Intervention Change Fund, to be overseen by the Early Years Taskforce, aimed at using evidence-based interventions to give our children the best start in life will provide £50 million of resource over the parliamentary term through the Sure Start Fund component of the Scottish Futures Fund.
  3. a Reducing Reoffending Change Fund, focusing on preventative spend, will be created to bolster those interventions  that work which can be made by third sector service providers. Its not clear how much this fund will be – the govt does seem to be particularly vague on the size of this. 

3.    The commitment to Self Directed Support will continue with budgets being published of

Self Directed Support Programme    
2012-13    5.5 million
2013-14    12.0 million
2014-15    7.0 million

4.    The Scottish Government will continue to invest  £10 million to implement the 26 recommendations of the Scottish Strategy for Autism.

5.    Further work will be done to evaluate The Same As You to help address the gaps in policy provision that still prevent those with a learning disability enjoying equity in the provision and delivery of healthcare services. This should  provide a the map for effective and joined up policy development within the Scottish Government to ensure that those with a learning disability are able to access effective healthcare services.

6.    The Voluntary Sector face a small cut in ongoing funds of £0.5 million and the ending of the Scottish Investment Fund which this year was worth £3 million. 

7.    The Early Years Early Action Fund  will continue to give priority to early years and early intervention through ongoing annual investment of £6.8 million.

8.    They will support local partnerships to deliver our Opportunities For All initiative and the roll out of Activity Agreements to support our most vulnerable 16-19 year olds;

9.    The continuation of the Modern Apprenticeship scheme and other training opportunities for young people should give young people with learning disabilities a chance to access work. 

10.    Further Education colleges will be hit by quite a big reduction in funding so many of the difficulties already emerging of people with learning disabilities not getting on the courses they want or courses being cancelled is likely to get worse. 

11.    Local Government will be another of the big losers in the budget.  Alongside a council tax freeze, next year the 32 Scottish Councils  will lose £400 million.  The details of this will not be known until December.

However many councils have already factored in reducing budgets into their plans.  For example, Glasgow’s personalisation programme plans to save £6 million this year and £13 million next year to help that council manage its budget.  Many other councils have also adopted a three year cuts programme.  It may be that many of the cuts coming have already been signposted locally but we will need to see both the December settlement and the actual budgets in January/February of next year to know.  Other factors such as charges and other income collected can alter actual decisions.