Ahead of today’s autumn statement, members of the Carer Poverty Coalition wrote to the chancellor calling for a reform to the benefits system to better support unpaid carers, including a full review into Carer’s Allowance and its eligibility rules so that carers can continue to provide unpaid care whilst also being able to look after their own health, wellbeing, and financial security.

Responding on behalf of the coalition, Emily Holzhausen OBE, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers UK, said:

“Today the chancellor announced that he intends to reward effort and work, but once again, unpaid carers who contribute a staggering £445 million to the economy every day, have been forgotten.

"It's deeply disappointing that we have not seen any pledges to enhance carers' benefits that go over and above increasing benefits by 6.7% in line with September inflation figures. Hundreds of thousands of carers continue to struggle financially and this inflationary rise alone, although the right rate to implement, won't be nearly enough to prevent financial hardship. 71% of carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance told Carers UK that they are worried about living costs and whether they can manage in the future.

“Many unpaid carers cannot easily increase their income through employment, nor lower their expenditure by making economies due to the additional care-related costs they face. Whilst we're pleased the earning limit has increased, yet again it falls short. It will mean any carers receiving the National Living Wage alongside their Carer's Allowance may have to cut their hours to give up work.

“Once again, we ask the government to increase the earnings limit by the same amount as the National Living Wage and examine the eligibility criteria for Carer’s Allowance, to enable more carers to better combine paid work and unpaid care. It is vital that it delivers strategic and targeted support for unpaid carers to prevent carers from facing further financial hardship.”