The work and pensions committee today delivered a pretty powerful report on carers. The central recommendation is an overhaul of the benefits system for carers - which the government, in its carers strategy, published in June, said would only be reviewed after 2011, to the consternation of carers campaigners.

The committee want carer's allowance (worth £50.55) scrapped and replaced by a two-tier benefit - an income replacement benefit for those (caring for over 35 hours) who do not work or earn only a modest amount (worth £60.50 - the value of job seeker's allowance) and a second benefit (payable to all carers - including those over state pension age worth £25 to £50 a week to recognise the costs of caring.

As Carers UK chief executive Imelda Redmond this would end the situation in which carers are treated as if they were merely unemployed (or less than unemployed given the lower value of carer's allowance compared to job seeker's allowance) - rather than also providing a very valuable service to society.

Almost everyone in the field who has commented has welcomed the committee's findings - Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Carers UK, Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Help the Aged, Counsel and Care.