To: Iain Duncan Smith MP
Bring Carer's Allowance rules in line with other working-age benefits
Bring Carer's Allowance rules in line with other working-age benefits.
Carer's Allowance is payable at £62.10 per week, whereas Job Seekers Allowance is up to £73.10. Moreover, the eligibility threshold requires at least 35 hours of care provided. In contrast Working Tax Credit thresholds are 30 hours, and 16 hours for certain categories. CA should be increased to at least £73.10 for 30 hours, and a lower rate introduced for 16 hours care.
Why is this important?
Carer's Allowance recipients have a higher hour threshold than workers, for a lower rate of benefit than Job Seekers. The rate of Carer's Allowance undermines the value of the work undertaken (estimated at £119bn per year - Carers UK and the University of Leeds (2011) Valuing Carers 2011: Calculating the value of carers’), and the additional expenses that caring can incur - (Carers UK (2014) Facts about Carers).
