Not only increase Carers Allowance by £20 per week, which is long overdue, but alter other aspects for below are the current conditions
The type of care you provide
You need to spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone. This can include:
helping with washing and cooking
taking the person you care for to a doctor’s appointment
helping with household tasks, like managing bills and shopping
If you or the person you care for are affected by coronavirus, you can still claim Carer’s Allowance if you provide care remotely. This includes giving emotional support over the phone or online.
Your eligibility
All of the following must apply:
you’re 16 or over
you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for someone
you’ve been in England, Scotland or Wales for at least 2 of the last 3 years (this does not apply if you’re a refugee or have humanitarian protection status)
you normally live in England, Scotland or Wales, or you live abroad as a member of the armed forces (you might still be eligible if you’re moving to or already living in an EEA country or Switzerland)
you’re not in full-time education
you’re not studying for 21 hours a week or more
you’re not subject to immigration control
your earnings are £128 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses
If your earnings are sometimes more than £128 a week you might still be eligible for Carer’s Allowance. Your average earnings may be calculated to work out if you’re eligible.
Calculating your earnings
Your earnings are any income from employment and self-employment after tax, National Insurance and expenses.
Expenses can include:
50% of your pension contributions
equipment you need to do your job, for example specialist clothing
travel costs between different workplaces that are not paid for by your employer, for example fuel or train fares
business costs if you’re self-employed, for example a computer you only use for work
If you pay a carer to look after the disabled person or your children while you work, you can treat care costs that are less than or equal to 50% of your earnings as an expense. The carer must not be your spouse, partner, parent, child or sibling.
Example
You earn £100 a week (after tax, National Insurance and other expenses) and spend £60 a week on care while you work. You can treat £50 of this as an expense.
Payments that do not count as earnings include:
money received from an occupational or private pension
contributions towards your living or accommodation costs from someone you live with (they cannot be a tenant or boarder)
the first £20 a week and 50% of the rest of any income you make from someone boarding in your home
a loan or advance payment from your employer
If you get State Pension
You cannot get the full amount of both Carer’s Allowance and your State Pension at the same time.
If your pension is £67.25 a week or more, you will not get a Carer’s Allowance payment.
If your pension is less than £67.25 a week, you’ll get a Carer’s Allowance payment to make up the difference.
If you get Pension Credit
If your State Pension is more than £67.25 a week, you will not get a Carer’s Allowance payment but your Pension Credit payments will increase instead.
If you’ve deferred your State Pension, the income you would get from it is included when working out if you’re eligible for Carer’s Allowance.
So what needs changing
your earnings are £128 or less a week after tax, National Insurance and expenses – should be changed so that the £128 is made equivalent to the National Living Wage
You cannot get the full amount of both Carer’s Allowance and your State Pension at the same time.
If your pension is £67.25 a week or more, you will not get a Carer’s Allowance payment. – this again should be matching the National Living Wage
This would mean the Carers Allowance would be a more substantial benefit available to many more carers.
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