Britain’s carers are ‘bamboozled by benefits’

MPs have discussed some of the problems faced by the UK’s army of unpaid carers in a report issued by the Committee of Public Accounts. Around £2 billion is paid out annually in benefits to the 900,000 carers who claim them. Their work saves the Government over £23 billion in social and health care costs every year. However, there are an estimated 6 million carers in the UK, contributing to a total saving to the Government of over £87 billion, many of which are not claiming benefits to which they may be entitled. In the report, MPs criticise the current system as being too complicated, with 20% of carers claiming benefits encountering problems with the application process. Typical problems include claimants having to apply for benefits they know they are not entitled to receive, simply to enable them to qualify for other, lesser benefits. Rules around the interaction of a carer’s benefits with the benefits of the person they are caring for are complex and confusing, with the risk of ‘losing out’ on extra money if benefits are applied for incorrectly. Lack of information for carers about benefits is also highlighted as a problem, whilst job centres are criticised for not providing enough support to help carers find part-time work. Committee chairman Edward Leigh comments on the report’s findings: ‘…the value of the service that these unpaid carers provide to society is not reflected in the quality of the DWP’s arrangements for providing them with financial and other support. Carers who apply for benefits should not have to wade through official written guidance and communications which can range from the hard to understand to the downright incomprehensible.’ The Committee’s report has recommended a series of actions to improve the situation, including: further research into the population of carers and the proportion that receive benefits; publicity campaigns to raise awareness of carers’ benefits; and easier access to extra payments for those carers that need the most support.

For more information about the benefits available to carers, please read Cheselden’s Factsheet 8: ‘State Benefits’ or visit the charity Carers UK’s website.