People who look after family members free of charge are taking a huge hit to their finances which could continue into their retirement as they find themselves unable to balance paid work with their caring commitments.
Recent analysis of official figures by the financial firm Just Retirement found seven in 10 people who were receiving carer’s allowance were not in paid work, and missing out on earnings and private pension contributions.
We pay people carers’ allowance because they’ve taken a financial hit by being carers?
“We pay people carers’ allowance because they’ve taken a financial hit by being carers?”
No we pay carer’s allowance because someone has to do the work of looking after the person who has been assessed as requiring care. The problem with it is that for some mad reason we seem to view it as a benefit payment to the person doing the work, rather than the person being cared for, and remove it if the carer does other work on the side. It should be viewed as just another source of income for the carer – not means tested, but taxable. Then thousands of people would be free to take on part time work to add to their income, instead of being stuck with carer’s allowance only.
I get that society funds some things because we want to be nice and that we wouldn’t want to be put into a difficult position ourselves.
That said, why do we fund people who need care? What is a family for? If you don’t like your parents, can’t be arsed to look after them, then don’t be surprised if your rightful inheritance is taken to pay for their care.
Likewise if you have a disabled child. Tough break, but you had them and that’s the luck of the draw.
@Jim
Spot on. Also, receipt of state pension excludes one from carer’s allowance regardless of who being cared for. Plus amount is paltry ~£60 pw, that’s about 5 hours minimum wage which wouldn’t cover a week of employed care
Once again it’s penny wise, pound foolish imbecilic govt. Or is it they want more control: state approved care only