Carer's Allowance

(asked on 25th July 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to support the mental, emotional and physical wellbeing of (a) carers and (b) carers who face financial uncertainty as a result of the suspension of their carer’s allowance.


Answered by
Caroline Dinenage Portrait
Caroline Dinenage
This question was answered on 9th September 2019

The Government recognises and appreciates the contribution made by unpaid carers who provide invaluable support. We are committed to continuing to support carers to provide care as they would wish, and to do so in a way that supports their own health and wellbeing, employment and other life chances.

The cross-Government Carers Action Plan was published on 5 June 2018, through which we set out a series of commitments to support all carers, regardless of whether they receive carers allowance, in the short term. We want to make sure that carers receive the support that they are entitled to and so the Department is working with the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services on a sector-led improvement programme of work, focused on the implementation of the duties relating to carers in the Care Act (2014). We expect that by summer 2020 a series of resources and learning to support commissioners to do this will be published.

The Department for Work and Pensions does not suspend Carer’s Allowance claims lightly and will only do so where there is reasonable doubt about ongoing entitlement to benefit.

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