Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a benefit for people over the age of retirement who are caring for relatives and do not qualify for carer's allowance.

Carer’s Allowance aims 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.

For those over the age of retirement, the State Pension is intended to replace income when work ceases. It has been a long-held feature of the UK’s benefit system under successive governments that, where someone is entitled to two benefits for the same contingency, then whilst there may be entitlement to both benefits, only one will be paid to prevent duplicate financial provision for the same need.

Where underlying entitlement of Carer’s Allowance occurs (all entitlement conditions are met, but the overlapping benefit rule prevents payment), additional support may be available through Pension Credit, notably including the additional amount payable to carers in Pension Credit. This additional amount is currently £38.85 a week, but will increase to £42.75 a week from April. It is paid to recognise the additional contribution and responsibilities associated with caring and means that lower income pensioners with caring responsibilities can receive more than other lower income recipients of Pension Credit. If a pensioner’s income is above the limit for Pension Credit, he or she may still be able to receive Housing Benefit.