Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of Carers Allowance payments to support unpaid carers meet the increased costs of living.

The Government recognises people are facing pressures with the cost of living which is why we are providing support worth over £22 billion across this financial year and next.

On carers specifically, the Government continues to provide financial support to unpaid carers through Carer’s Allowance, the Carer Element in Universal Credit and through other benefits.

Real terms expenditure on Carer’s Allowance is forecast to be £3.1bn in 2021/22 and between 2021/22 and 2026/27 is forecast to increase by two-fifths (around £1.3 billion). By 2026/27, the Government is forecast to spend just under £4.4 billion a year on Carer’s Allowance.

The weekly rate of Carer’s Allowance will increase to £69.70 in April 2022. This means that since 2010 it will have increased from £53.90 to £69.70 a week, providing an additional £800 a year for carers through Carer’s Allowance.

The Government has chosen to focus extra support on those carers who need it most. Around 360,000 carer households on Universal Credit can receive an additional £1,965 a year through the Carer Element. This amount will increase from April 2022.