Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing (a) the number of hours individuals can work whilst receiving carers allowance and (b) increasing flexibility within carers allowance to allow for partial payment alongside paid work.

The weekly Carer’s Allowance earnings limit will increase to £139 a week from April 2023. This means the earnings limit will have increased by more than a third since 2010.

Carer’s Allowance is not payable once net earnings exceed this figure. Carer’s Allowance “work rules” operate on the basis of an earnings limit, rather than hours worked. There are no plans to change this broad approach.

Many carers who are receiving Carer’s Allowance and doing some work will also be receiving Universal Credit. For those receiving Universal Credit, the 55% taper rate and any applicable work allowance will help to ensure that people are better off in work.