Carers UK and Carer Poverty Coalition have joined together to urge the Government to provide more targeted financial support to unpaid carers.

In a joint letter, they are calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to provide financial help for unpaid carers who are struggling to continue caring for their disabled, ill or older friend or family members.

To ensure that carers’ finances, health, and wellbeing are not further jeopardised, the Coalition is calling on the Government to take urgent action to support carers and their families by doing the following: 

1. Reform the benefits system to better support carers, including raising the level of Carer’s Allowance and increasing the Earnings Limit 
2. Provide more support for older carers of State Pension Age, in the form of additional payments to support them with their unpaid caring role. 
3. Scrap the 21-hour rule across the UK, so that carers can study alongside caring. 
4. Set out measures for long-term, sustainable funding of social care, to support carers in juggling paid work and care.

There are at least 5.7 million unpaid carers in the UK. Many are unable to boost their income due to the difficulty of juggling caring responsibilities with paid work, as well as the strict earning limits associated with benefits like Carer’s Allowance.  

You can read the joint letter to the Chancellor here:

https://www.carersuk.org/media/omlpxmf1/carer-poverty-coalition-open-letter-to-the-chancellor-november-2023-final-with-signatures.pdf

News on the Carers UK website:

https://www.carersuk.org/news/carer-poverty-coalition-urges-chancellor-to-support-unpaid-carers-in-upcoming-autum-statement