Carers Allowance rate should be raised

50Twuncle

I believe that the government is breaking all sorts of its own rules by paying Carers Allowance at such low rates......
They require a minimum of 35 hours caring every week and pay just £62.10 for this - a rate of just £1.77 per hour
Minimum wage is currently £7.83 per hour (over 25) - leaving carers over £212 per week short
Anyone else agree that Carers should be paid more ?

Stop_Watch

My opinion is it should be paid from the care element of pip/dla from the person they care for. The taxpayer is paying twice at the moment, this would also stop the abuse where couples claim to care for each other.

50Twuncle

Stop_Watch wrote: »

My opinion is it should be paid from the care element of pip/dla from the person they care for. The taxpayer is paying twice at the moment, this would also stop the abuse where couples claim to care for each other.

If the "care component" is used to pay carers allowance - you want carers allowance to be reduced further still ?
Because - DLA mid care component is only £57.30 - how much of this should be paid to the carer - for THIRTY FIVE + hours work per week ?
In my (and many other) cases - my carer (wife) works many more hours than 35 and is unable to take up any other paid employment because of this ...

tomtom256

50Twuncle wrote: »

I believe that the government is breaking all sorts of its own rules by paying Carers Allowance at such low rates......
They require a minimum of 35 hours caring every week and pay just £62.10 for this - a rate of just £1.77 per hour
Minimum wage is currently £7.83 per hour (over 25) - leaving carers over £212 per week short
Anyone else agree that Carers should be paid more ?

Carers allowance is a benefit for caring not a wage to pay for a carer.

PasturesNew

Before the Allowance was introduced, people got nothing. It was an amount akin to "the dole" to keep the wolf from the door, introduced only in "recent years" (I can't remember when).

For many, the caring isn't hard work/intensive, they're just helping somebody that they love - that they'd have done "for nothing". The Allowance isn't a "wage", it's "a few bob to ease their week a little".

Many aren't "working" 35 hours/week at "caring". Many who are being "cared" for could do a lot for themselves if they had to. e.g. single people ... would have to make their own dinner/lunch even if it did take them 3 hours to achieve, or "put up with a simple sandwich".

Not everybody claiming the allowance is for caring for somebody unable to move/eat/do anything and turning them every 2 hours and changing an adult nappy every 4 hours and spoon feeding them. Many are just doing a lot of stuff they'd be doing anyway if their other half were "too idle" and expected to be waited on hand and foot.

You have to see the allowance for what it is and what it was intended for, not try to turn it into something it was never intended to be, just because you'd like to be "paid a full time wage" for the "work".

[Deleted User]

A decent increase in CA is long overdue, carers save the country billions £ every year, and it should be recognised, also the fact that half the CA is removed from people on IS is nothing short of a crime.
Its ok to say that some people only provide 35 hours of care BUT a lot more people provide many more hours of care.

Sadly under the current govt, there is little chance of any change.

POPPYOSCAR

venison wrote: »

A decent increase in CA is long overdue, carers save the country billions £ every year, and it should be recognised, also the fact that half the CA is removed from people on IS is nothing short of a crime.
Its ok to say that some people only provide 35 hours of care BUT a lot more people provide many more hours of care.

Sadly under the current govt, there is little chance of any change.

Yes they do.

I think they should get more.

Stop_Watch

Pay more but stop the abuse, Most so call caring is nothing more that what I would do for my wife or child.

Also when it come to Carers allowance and £64.60 in cash people forget about all the other hidden benefits, Housing, council tax, national insurance, income support, tax credits it all adds up!

Tigsteroonie

Stop_Watch wrote: »

Also when it come to Carers allowance and £64.60 in cash people forget about all the other hidden benefits, Housing, council tax, national insurance, income support, tax credits it all adds up!

Not everybody claiming CA is entitled to housing, council tax, income support or tax credits. So please do not generalise.

skcollobcat10

question answered

50Twuncle

I agree - get your facts right before accusing !!
I too only claim DLA to cover some of the increased costs caused by my disability. My wife claims CA for the (considerably more than) 35 hours that she spends every week looking after my needs (and does not do any other paid employment - because of my needs) - We are not claiming any other benefits - I work 10 hours per week to try to make ends meet on minimum wage as well.