Carer's Allowance: Coronavirus

(asked on 22nd April 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of informal carers living in poverty, and (2) the adequacy of the Carer's Allowance.


This question was answered on 29th April 2020

A considerable amount of academic research has been published on the finances of carers, including from Carers UK and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Carer’s Allowance itself is designed to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person.

Income replacement benefits help people and households on lower incomes, and can include a carer premium, currently £37.50 a week. An equivalent additional amount applies in Pension Credit. Universal Credit also includes a carer element at the rate of £162.92 per monthly assessment period. These amounts recognise the additional contribution and responsibilities associated with caring and mean that lower-income carers can receive more money than others who receive these benefits.

The rate of Carer’s Allowance was increased in early April as part of the annual uprating process. Since 2010, the rate of Carer’s Allowance has increased from £53.90 to £67.25 a week, meaning nearly an additional £700 a year for carers. The standard allowance in Universal Credit has been temporarily increased for the 20/21 tax year by £86.67 per month (equivalent to £20 per week) on top of the planned annual uprating. This additional increase means claimants will be up to £1040 better off. Carers receiving Universal Credit will benefit from this.

Reticulating Splines