Commentary: State of Caring - The impact of caring on (Finances)
Commentary: State of Caring - The impact of caring on (Finances)
Carers UK Report October 17, 2023
When you're turning on your heating this Winter, think about what you could do to support changes in UK policy, support employees or anyone you know, who is caring for loved ones and having to make impossible choices.
Did you know "Carer’s Allowance is the lowest benefit of its kind, currently just £76.75 per week (2023/24 rates). It is also only available to carers who provide more than 35 hours a week of unpaid care. The eligibility rules prevent carers in receipt of Carer’s Allowance from working more hours and increasing their earnings. This goes directly against the UK Government’s policy of ‘making work pay’ and puts carers in an impossible position, where they are not able to work more hours to make ends meet without potentially losing this benefit."
If you work who will do the caring?
Retirement = How will YOU Finance and organise your everyday care needs?
Be Aware of the State of Caring today.
Carers UK, October 17th, released new #StateOfCaringFinances research which finds that thousands of unpaid carers are continuing to struggle financially, and many are being forced into poverty because of the cost of living crisis and a benefit system that is unfit for purpose.
Our research, based on findings from our State of Caring 2023 survey, found that 75% of unpaid carers receiving Carer’s Allowance are now struggling with cost-of-living pressures, almost half (46%) are cutting back on essentials including food and heating, while 45% said they were struggling to make ends meet; a rise of 6% compared with 39% last year.
Carers urgently need a financial boost this winter to ensure they can survive the winter months. That’s why we are calling on the Government to provide carers with additional and targeted financial support now, to prevent even more unpaid carers from falling into poverty at the harshest time of year. We are also calling on the Government to immediately overhaul Carer’s Allowance and increase the earnings threshold for claiming the benefit.
Find out more here:
State of Caring Survey 2023 - The impact of caring on: finances
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