Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of unpaid carers in Runcorn and Helsby constituency.

The 2021 Census found that there are approximately 4.7 million people of all ages in England who said they provided unpaid care. In the Runcorn and Helsby constituency, the Census showed that there were approximately 10,000 people of all ages who said they provided unpaid care.

Following the budget announcement on 31 October 2024, the Government announced that from April 2025 it will increase the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit from £151 a week to £196, which is the equivalent of 16 hours at the National Living Wage. This means carers can earn up to £10,000 a year whilst still retaining Carer's Allowance; this is approximately an additional £2,000 a year and represents the largest increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976.

This will reduce work disincentives for those who are able to combine their family caring responsibilities with some paid work.