Social care support
Social care is an investment in Scotland’s people, society and economy. Many of us, or many of our family members or friends, will already use social care. Most of us will need to use social care at some point in our lives. The social care sector employs some 200,000 people and has an estimated financial value to Scotland’s economy of £3.4 billion
Social care support is about supporting people to:
- live independently
- be active citizens
- participate and contribute to our society
- maintain their dignity and human rights
We are committed to supporting people to stay at home or in a homely setting with maximum independence, for as long as possible. We also aim to retain the right people to work in social care support and social work and to raise the status of social care as a profession.
More information is in the following sections:
- free personal and nursing care
- care homes
- care home sector
- healthcare framework
- guidance on vitamin D for care homes
- unpaid care
- ordinary residences
- Self-directed Support (SDS)
Free personal and nursing care
Free personal and/or nursing care is available to all adults in Scotland who have been assessed by the local authority as eligible for these services.
Information about our policy on unpaid carers is in a separate page.
Background information about the extension of free personal care for adults aged under 65 is in our website archive.
In Scotland there are items in non-personal care, and for residential care, that are charged for. More information is in the following sections. For details about charges in your area, contact your local Health and Social Care Partnership.
Care homes
Care homes are places where people can live in a homely setting and have their needs met by trained staff.
We provide funding for Care Information Scotland (CIS) which gives information on care and support services for older people.
The Care Inspectorate is the national regulator for care services in Scotland.
Revised guidance on charging for residential accommodation (CCD 1/2023) is on the SEHD website.
More information about care and care services is on the mygov.scot website.
Care home sector
The care home sector is complex. It provides specialised care for adults and older people, people with learning and physical disability, neurological illness, mental health conditions and brain injury. Care homes also provide intermediate and respite care services. People who living in care homes have a right to have their health and social care needs met in a person centred, holistic, consistent and co-ordinated way.
Our main priority is to provide consistent high quality, safe and effective personalised care focused on the person living in the care home.
Care homes: healthcare framework
In June 2022 we published our healthcare framework for adults and older people living in care homes. It was produced in collaboration with key stakeholders from across the sector.
The framework:
- fully aligns with the independent review of adult social care
- enhances the health of people living within a care home
- improves the way we assess, monitor and respond to their ever-changing health and care needs
It focuses on the these key areas:
- a nurturing environment
- the multi-disciplinary team
- prevention
- anticipatory care, supported self-management and early intervention
- urgent and emergency care
- palliative and end of life care
- a sustainable and skilled workforce
- data, digital and health
We have also produced a short animation, which will be the first of a series, detailing the life of ‘Bill’, a fictional character, who moves into a care home following a decline in health. The animation details what good care looks like for Bill and puts into practice many of the key recommendations in the framework.
Contact us
Email: carehomeshealthcare@gov.scot
Care homes: guidance on vitamin D supplementation
In December 2023 we published guidance on Vitamin D in care homes on offering vitamin D supplements to eligible residents in adult care homes. Vitamin D is important for keeping bones and muscles healthy. Groups at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency, including people living in care homes, are advised to take a daily supplement all year round.
The guidance materials, which were successfully piloted in some care homes, aim to support care home staff to discuss vitamin D supplements with residents.
Unpaid care
The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 puts in place a system of carers’ rights designed to listen to carers, make support more consistent between areas, and to prevent problems – helping to protect carers’ health and wellbeing. More information on unpaid care.
Ordinary residences
A local authority can recover the costs of providing services to a person 'ordinarily resident' in another local authority. Normally the local authority in which a person is ordinarily resident is financially responsible for the community care services for that person.
Where disputes arise, local authorities can apply to Scottish Ministers for a determination of ordinary residence when all other attempts at resolution have failed.
We have published guidance and templates relating to ordinary determinations.
We publish anonymised ordinary residence determinations to show the approach taken to making a determination.
Information about our policy on benefits for carers is in our social security page.
Self-directed Support (SDS)
Self‑directed Support (SDS) is Scotland’s approach to social care. It enables people to make informed choices about how their support is planned and delivered. SDS was introduced on 1 April 2014 through the Social Care (Self‑directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, placing choice and control at the heart of social care.
In July 2025, we reviewed and issued updated statutory guidance, The guidance explains how local authorities must meet their duties under the Act.
This includes ensuring that people are:
- fully involved in decisions about their care
- treated with dignity and respect
- provided with clear, accessible information about the four available options
Local authorities must explain the four SDS options, in a balanced understandable way, and support people to participate in community life and the planning process
The four options are:
Option 1: You receive a direct payment from the local authority and arrange your own support.
Option 2: You choose your support, and the local authority (or an agreed third party) arranges it and pays the provider.
Option 3: The local authority chooses and arranges your support and pays for it.
Option 4: You can combine Options 1, 2 and 3 in any way that suits your needs.
Delivery of SDS is a shared responsibility across local authorities, Health and Social Care Partnerships, the Scottish Government, and third‑sector organisations.
In June 2023, we published the Self‑directed Support Improvement Plan to help move social care closer to fully delivering the SDS principles of:
- participation
- dignity
- involvement
- informed choice
- collaboration
The Support in the Right Direction (SiRD) 2024–2027 programme strengthens this work further. The programme ensures people can access, independent SDS information, advice and advocacy through Scottish Government funding delivered via Inspiring Scotland.
It is also supported by the development of the National SDS Standards, including Standard 13 on direct payments and the employment of Personal Assistants. A growing range of resources is also available through the Self-directed support library.