Oral Answers to Questions

Melanie Onn Excerpts

Monday 14th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Nick Gibb]

I very much hope that those organisations will respond to the call for evidence; we are keen to hear from organisations with expertise in this area. We are consulting on the content of relationships education, and we will respond to the consultation shortly.

[Melanie Onn (Great Grimsby) (Lab)]

11. What support the Government provide for kinship carers.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Nadhim Zahawi)]

The Government recognise the important role that family and friends play in caring for children who are unable to live with their parents. We have set clear duties on local authorities to support children living with family or friend carers, regardless of their legal status.

[Melanie Onn]

I find that answer particularly interesting because that tells me that the Government are doing absolutely nothing. Three quarters of kinship care families experience severe financial hardship. Does the Minister agree with me that kinship carers should get the same rights and allowances as foster carers, and will he take a first step by agreeing to discount tax credits from the benefit cap for kinship carers?

[Nadhim Zahawi]

Kinship carers actually have access to benefit entitlements in the same way as birth parents.