Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has she made of the impact of deductions from Universal Credit equivalent to the amount received in Carers Allowance on carers; and what representations she has received on allowing carers to keep their Carers' Allowance without having deductions made from Universal Credit.

We receive regular representations that receipt of Carer’s Allowance should not affect other benefits. But the principle that available income reduces entitlement to means-tested benefits is long-established, for example in income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA(IB)), income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA (IR)) and Income Support.

Universal Credit is a means-tested system of support, and where an individual claims Universal Credit, their award is adjusted to take account of other financial support that the claimant is already receiving – including earnings, other income and benefits.

Where claimants have income available to help meet their everyday living costs, their entitlement to Universal Credit is adjusted accordingly. This includes other benefits such as new style Jobseeker’s Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance and Carer’s Allowance, which are taken into account in full.

There are no plans to change the treatment of Carer’s Allowance in Universal Credit.

Carers on a low income who provide care for at least 35 hours per week for a severely disabled person can get an additional amount, as part of their Universal Credit award. Carers do not need to be claiming Carer’s Allowance to be eligible for the additional amount for carers.

The 2022/23 rate for the carer addition in UC is £168.81 per calendar month.