750m unclaimed in benefits confusion

Carers are losing out on their financial entitlements because of confusion over the benefits system, a new report claims.

Carers UK says nearly 750m in benefits is going unclaimed and that older carers are hit worst.

About 250,000 older carers are missing out on pension credit, which helps pensioners on low incomes or those with modest savings, while 86m of the carer addition to the credit is also lying unclaimed, it says.

However, the core benefit for carers, the carer’s allowance, accounts for the greatest unclaimed sum, 660m.

Carers UK chief executive Imelda Redmond said confusion over benefits was the issue that made carers “most angry”.

She urged the government to set up a central benefits advice system to cover all aspects of carers’ lives rather than forcing them to contact different departments about different benefits.