I have been thinking Carer’s allowance is far too low given the restrictions putting on the work allowance of only £139 a week.
I have started a petition to Increase Carer’s Allowance to equal 35 hours at 50% of the living wage.
To reform Carer’s Allowance to equal 35 hours at 50% of the National Living Wage. Minimum hours of care provided are 35 hours a week. The current rate is equivalent to £2.19 an hour (£76.75 week). Under the proposed rate this would be £182.36 a week.
Currently you’re expected to provide at least 35 hours a week care so the allowance is equivalent to £2.10 an hour. We believe this is taking advantage of hard working unpaid carers, who sacrifice their own life and work prospects. Many carers are exhausted, and if we want to work there are strict limits on earnings. We believe carers are taken advantage of and under supported.
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HI @Austin.
I replied to your previous post about the petition and my view hasn’t changed.
I feel that the statement continues to devalue Carers. Why only request 50% of Living Wage? This is confirming that we see ourselves as only worth 50% of others for all our efforts?
I realise that we cannot expect anyone in Government to suddenly undergo a ‘sea-change’ and agree to a massive increase, but we should still aim for what is Just.
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I agree. We deserve the equivalent of NMW. To get that you have to work 35 hours I think. To get CA it’s the same.
BUT. Some of us care for 168 hours a week. I do at times.
HOWEVER as I’m a pensioner I get NOTHING!
It’s hard enough trying to get mps to understand you cannot have a full time job alongside providing care and they say it is a choice. I am trying to be realistic.
My MP stated this in a recent letter
Specifically, to your concerns on the Carer’s Allowance – the scheme is designed to provide a measure of financial support for people who do not take on a full-time employment in order to care for a severely disabled person or persons. It must be stressed that it is not a carer’s wage or payment for the services of caring, nor is it intended to replace lost or forgone earnings in their entirety.
The rate of Carer’s Allowance increased from April 2023 by 10.1 per cent to £76.75 a week, in line with inflation. This means that, since 2010, Carer’s Allowance will have increased from £53.90 to £76.75 a week, providing carers with just under an additional £1200 a year.
That’s one of the greatest inequalities. CA stops when you get State Pension - as if you don’t do anything after that.
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Austin, if we go to work our loved ones would need someone else to care for them. That person would get NMW. For those needing round the clock care, it would need a team of people or residential care. Hugely expensive. Is it so unreasonable for us to get paid the equivalent of just one on NMW? We are the slaves of 21st century.
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And the politicians forget, conveniently, that Carers Allowance is the only benefit that was set with a condition that you have to provide care for a minimum of 35 hours a week - the equivalent of full time work. And most of them forget that the benefit was originally set at the rate paid for dependent women, which is WHY it’s the lowest benefit of its kind. Also, it’s a benefit that (like all the rest) pays an equivalent to a full NI stamp towards your pension. Only benefits payable to those not in work qualify in that way.
I completely agree but in reality the government won’t change it mps do not care. It’s not going to increase the benefit by £288.94 every week for everyone m. When they will not even consider us as doing a job and saving NHS/ Social Care millions. Even if we can get a large increase in current allowance to reflect inflation and what we do it would be a start. Rather than the small amount of smarties last time. The promise reform yet it never happens.
Yet they have £300 Million to give to Rewanda for a piece of paper