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Carer's Allowance is a non-contributory benefit in the United Kingdom payable to people who care for a disabled person for at least 35 hours a week. It was first established as Invalid Care Allowance [ 1 ] in 1976, and married women were not eligible.
Carers save the UK economy an estimated £119 billion per year, [23] and economic considerations form a key element in government policy to support carers. The importance given to carers rights and legislation is evidenced by the record of parliamentary speeches, with 4,118 debates including some mention of carers at the end of March 2008. [24]
The carer must spend at least 35 hours a week caring for the person and the carer must not earn more than £120 a week; Income support is available to people on Carer's Allowance who work less than 16 hours a week and are on a low income.
“The Government should also take this opportunity to review and reform the archaic and unfair Carer’s Allowance system as a whole. Created in the 1970s, it’s just not fit for purpose today.
Also in 2015, the benefit cap was the subject of a successful legal challenge on the grounds that it unlawfully discriminated against disabled people and their carers. [12] In 2016 Lord Freud announced the government's intention to exempt those in receipt of Carer's Allowance from the benefit cap, in response to the High Court ruling. [31]
That represented nearly 10 per cent of the population and of those, 21 per cent (1.09 million) provided care for 50 or more hours per week. The Act requires assessments to be offered to carers, to consider the needs of carers in relation to leisure, education, training and work.
In 2009–2010 the DWP stated £1.95 billion job-seekers allowance, £2 billion income support and employment and support allowance, £2.4 billion in council tax, £2.8 billion in pension credit and £3.1 billion for housing benefit; in total £12.25 billion had not been claimed. [43]
At the same time, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate is still elevated at 6.69%. Child care, too, can be a major expense — if you can even find child care.