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 impact of Carer’s Allowance eligibility and conditionality on families where a child is unable to attend school for medical and special educational reasons.

Carer’s Allowance is payable to those who meet the eligibility criteria. In these circumstances, the key elements would be that (i) the child being cared for qualifies for the middle or higher rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance and (ii) they are receiving at least 35 hours a week unpaid care (short breaks in care may be allowed).