Petition Increase Carer’s Allowance to equal 35 hours at 50% of the living wage.

The Government fully recognises the invaluable contribution that unpaid and family carers make in providing significant care and continuity of support to their loved ones. Unpaid carers play a vital role in the lives of their family and friends - and since 2010 we have increased Carer’s Allowance by almost £1500 a year. The weekly rate of Carer’s Allowance is £81.90 a week.

This issue has been raised in previous e-petitions, including 640062 ‘Increase Carer’s Allowance to 35 hours a week at the minimum wage’ which was recently debated in Parliament, a link to the transcript of this is available here: Carer’s Allowance - Hansard - UK Parliament (https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2024-04-22/debates/E43FCD87-1F1D-41F4-BE0D-948482756398/Carer%E2%80%99SAllowance).

It is important to emphasise that Carer’s Allowance is not intended to be a replacement for a wage, nor is it payment for the services of caring. It is, therefore, not comparable with either the National Minimum or National Living Wage. The principal purpose of Carer’s Allowance is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition who are not able to work full time due to their caring responsibilities.

Successive Governments have supported carers through allowances and benefits, as well as wider cross-Government actions, rather than paying people for tasks they undertake in the way an employer would.

Unpaid carers are overwhelmingly caring for a family member or friend, rather than someone unknown to them. The amount of unpaid caring they undertake, and its intensity, will differ from carer to carer, as will their reasons and motivation for accepting caring responsibilities. Many can successfully combine caring with some employment, so will continue to have income from paid employment. Those unpaid carers who do need financial support may be able to get help from the benefits system – and not only from Carer’s Allowance, but from a range of means-tested benefits as well.

Carer’s Allowance permits carers to undertake some part-time work if they can do so, without this affecting their entitlement. The earnings limit recognises the benefits of staying in touch with the workplace, including greater financial independence and social interaction.

Carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit, alongside Carer’s Allowance. These benefits can be paid to carers at a higher rate than those without caring responsibilities through the carer element and the additional amount for carers respectively. Currently, the Universal Credit carer element is £198.31 per monthly assessment period. The additional amount for carers in Pension Credit is £45.60 a week.

Around 650,000 (November 2023 data) carer households on Universal Credit can receive around an additional £2,400 a year through the Carer Element. The Government has chosen to focus extra support on those carers who need it most.

We are spending record amounts to support unpaid carers. Real terms expenditure on Carer’s Allowance in 2024/25 is forecast to be £4.1 billion.

Between 2024/25 and 2028/29 real terms expenditure on Carer’s Allowance is forecast to rise by 12% - around £500 million. By 2028/29, the Government is forecast to spend just over £4.5 billion a year on Carer’s Allowance.

The Government keeps the detailed Carer’s Allowance rules and arrangements under review to see whether the benefit is meeting its objectives. And the Department for Work and Pensions works very closely with other parts of Government, including the Department of Health and Social Care, to ensure that unpaid carers get the help and support they need and deserve.

Department for Work and Pensions