Roger Godsiff – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the number of carers who depend on carer’s allowance as their only or primary source of income; and what assessment his Department has made of whether that allowance benefit is set at a high enough level to keep the income of carers above the poverty line.

Justin Tomlinson

The information requested is not available. Such data is not collected. It is the circumstances of the claimant themselves, including their earnings, that may affect the Carer’s Allowance award. But any other income that may come into the household does not affect the claim, so we do not record whether Carer’s Allowance is the only or primary source of income.

This Government recognises and appreciates the vital contribution made by carers. The primary purpose of Carer’s Allowance is to provide a measure of financial support and recognition for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person.

In addition to Carer’s Allowance, carers on low incomes can claim income-related benefits, such as Income Support and Pension Credit. Income-related benefits help ensure that people can afford to meet their normal daily living needs. These benefits include a carer premium, currently £34.60 a week. Universal Credit also includes a carer element at the rate of £150.39 per monthly assessment period. This means that those on lower incomes can be better off if they have caring responsibilities than others who receive these benefits.