Pay carers same rate as pension, say MPs

An increase in the carers allowance to the level of the basic state
pension has been called for by MPs in a move timed to draw
attention to Carers Week.

The early day motion, which is being put by Labour MP Bill Tynan,
proposes to raise carers allowance from £44.35 a week to
£79.60.

Carers charities warned that more needed to be done to protect the
health of carers. Failure to do so could leave the NHS unable to
cope with the consequences – UK carers save the government
£57bn a year.

Almost half of 1,000 carers surveyed by the Princess Royal Trust
for Carers said they had health problems. More than one-third of
the carers also said they had depression.

The four charities supporting Carers Week – Carers UK, Crossroads
Caring for Carers, the MS Society and the Princess Royal Trust for
Carers – are writing to primary care trusts urging them to improve
the services they provide for carers.

– Carers Week survey from www.carersweek.org and the
Princess Royal Trust for Carers survey from www.carers.org