GH CONSUMER AFFAIRS
Caring for family or friends can have a financial and emotional impact on your life. Here’s how to make sure you’re getting the benefits you deserve and how to campaign for a fairer deal for carers, says Sue Hayward
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There are 6.5m unpaid carers across the UK, according to Government figures, however Carers UK says it’s nearer 9m if you take the pandemic into account, with many facing financial hardship. The charity estimates the value of ‘unpaid care’ during the first eight months of the pandemic at £135bn – that’s £530m
a day. Of those unpaid carers, 58% are women, typically aged between 50 and 64, and many have been forced into giving up work because of caring responsibilities, a decision that affects their income and future workplace pension savings. This means 68% of carers rely on savings to make ends meet, with one in five falling into debt and more than 100,000 having to rely
on food banks to feed themselves during the pandemic*.
CAMPAIGN FOR CARERS
Carers UK is behind the Fairer for Carers campaign, which is asking the Government for better financial support for carers. It has the backing of other organisations, including Age UK, Care for the Carers, Alzheimer’s Society and
Disability Rights UK. Carers Trust has also spoken out about the need for increased pay for carers, and the Women’s Equality Party has the rights of carers at the heart of its manifesto. These groups are raising awareness of issues including:
Boosting Carer’s Allowance
This is the main benefit available for those caring for more than 35 hours a week. Over the past year, it’s gone up by just 35p a week to £67.60. ‘Carers have been essential in protecting our health and social care systems during the pandemic, to the detriment of their own health,’ says Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK. ‘Many feel insulted that their Carer’s Allowance has increased by a paltry 35p per week; just a penny per hour of care they provide.’ As part of its Fairer for Carers campaign, Carers UK wants the rate of Carer’s Allowance across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to increase by at least £8.85 a week to match the current rate in Scotland and the ‘earnings limit’ raised from £128 a week, so carers can earn more before losing this benefit.
£20 weekly supplement
Organisations are calling on the Government to give those claiming Carer’s Allowance a weekly £20 ‘supplement’ to reflect extra costs incurred during the pandemic. This would be in line with the £20 weekly ‘uplift’ agreed for Universal Credit claimants. ‘We are calling for a supplement that doesn’t impact other financial support and believe it should be backdated to March 2020; the time the Universal Credit uplift was implemented,’ says Helen. This would mean a payment of more than £1,000 for those claiming Carer’s Allowance; money they’ve missed out on compared with those receiving the Universal Credit top-up.
Paid care leave
Carers’ organisations are asking the Government for five to 10 days of ‘paid care leave’ each year, to save those in paid work using their annual leave for caring-related duties. These would include medical appointments, as well as practical things such as helping someone with bills, doing their shopping or collecting prescriptions. These proposals are with ministers for consultation; however the Government’s current proposal is for carers to have one week of unpaid leave per year. (Taking unpaid leave is usually at the discretion of your employer and you have to request this.)
Right to apply for ‘flexible working’ from day one
The Women’s Equality Party also includes the issue of ‘paid care leave’ in its manifesto, and wants carers to have the right to request ‘flexible working’ from day one. Under current workplace rules, only employees who have been with the same employer for at least 26 weeks have the right to request ‘flexible working’.