DWP told to pay £400 a week Carer's Allowance in major benefits boost

The Department for Work and Pensions has been urged to boost the support it offers to carers after criticism that the existing payments are not enough to cover costs. There are believed to be 5.7 million people performing unpaid care roles in the UK for 20 hours or more every week, with 1.4 million claiming Carer's Allowance from the DWP.

TakingCare's report, 'Unpaid and under pressure: are Brits trapped caring for elderly parents?' found that 82 per cent believe the current Carer's Allowance of £81.90 a week to be inadequate. The DWP benefit can only be claimed by those who carry out over 35 hours a week of unpaid care and pays the equivalent of £2.19 per hour – five times lower than minimum wage. Alternatively, those on Universal Credit can also get a separate Carer Element, which is currently £198.31 a month.

When asked how much money they would realistically need if they were to give up work to care for an elderly relative, 80 per cent of adults surveyed said they'd need over £100 a week, and 50 per cent said they'd need over £200 a week. One in five adults acknowledged they'd realistically need £400 a week to look after an elderly parent and cover their costs in the current economic climate.

READ MORE:

• DWP confirms PIP shake-up will also look at eligibility for Carer's Allowance

• DWP confirms new Carer's Allowance message alerts to reduce overpayments

The report says the rising cost of care homes plays a part in people choosing to take on the responsibilities themselves, with 32 per cent saying they or their elderly relative would not be able to afford a typical four-year stay in a care home. Data from Carer's UK supports these findings, revealing that one in seven carers in the UK juggle work and care responsibilities, with many also having their own families and children to care for alongside these other commitments.

Carer's UK also found that 600 people leave work every day to look after someone in need - between 2010 and 2020, almost two million people in paid employment became unpaid carers.

Lauren Frake, elderly care expert at Taking Care Personal Alarms for Seniors, said: "Our report shows some of the harsh realities for unpaid carers in our country, with many struggling to cope in the current financial landscape. We have found this is largely due to a lack of wider support available to them; they are simply slipping through the cracks.

"Given the current financial climate, it's crucial for unpaid carers to understand what financial support is available to them, particularly in light of the cost of living crisis and rising inflation. One thing unpaid carers can claim for is Carer's Credit, a National Insurance credit that helps bridge some of the gaps in a carer's National Insurance record and helps towards your State Pension.

"Claimants must care for someone for at least 20 hours per week, with the credit allowing them to maintain caring responsibilities and still contribute to their State Pension, which is based on NI contributions. Alongside this, carers should look to their local authority for further support.

"Many councils will have their own list of registered organisations, charities and support groups that can help vulnerable or elderly people in the community. For those caring for elderly friends or relatives, it’s advisable to get at-home support through a needs assessment from your local authority which will help open the door to further support."

While the Carer's Leave Act came into force from April 6, 2024, giving employees the option to take unpaid leave to care for a dependant (including an elderly person), Ms Frake says the new legislation doesn't go far enough. She said: "This act will undoubtedly provide employees with the reassurance that they have the right to take time off from work to care for their elderly relatives. However, there is still a large gap to fill in providing support to those balancing full-time employment and family life with the responsibility of caring for elderly family members, with many of these carers being women."

The act offers employees the entitlement to unpaid leave to give or arrange care for a dependant who has a physical or mental illness or injury that means they're expected to need care for more than three months, a disability (as defined in the Equality Act 2010), or care needs because of their old age. The dependant does not have to be a family member and can be anyone who relies on them for care.

Employees are entitled to one week of leave within a 12-month period, with this defined by the length of time typically worked over seven days. For instance, if an individual typically works three days a week, they can take three days of carer's leave. This can be taken as a continuous week or as individual days or half-days throughout the year.

Lauren added: "One of the main issues that the UK is currently facing is that elderly care is seen as a taboo topic to many households, with nine out of ten people saying they have not discussed future care plans with their parents, and 50 per cent of people aged 50-plus saying they have not discussed what will happen when their parents become too frail to care for themselves.

"The findings of this survey are exactly why we launched our Have the Talk campaign – we want to get Britain talking more openly. Currently, there's a real nervousness and reluctance to ask for help – especially as people get older. For many older people, it’s difficult to see roles being reversed when they have so often been the carer or even parental figure. Our campaign is about removing the stigma from these conversations and encouraging families to be open and honest with each other when it comes to planning for the future – the sooner, the better."

Get breaking news on BirminghamLive WhatsApp. Join our dedicated community to get the latest updates. You can find out more in our Money Saving Newsletter which is sent out daily with all the updates you need to know on benefits, pensions, finances, bills, and shopping discounts.