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Carers 'need more financial help' Carers 'need more financial help'
(about 3 hours later)
The government must give more money to help Britain's six million unpaid carers, MPs have said.The government must give more money to help Britain's six million unpaid carers, MPs have said.
The Commons work and pensions committee said people who looked after friends and relatives saved the taxpayer £87bn.The Commons work and pensions committee said people who looked after friends and relatives saved the taxpayer £87bn.
It recommended income replacement for those unable to work because of their commitments, and compensation for costs incurred during "intensive" caring. It recommended income replacement for those unable to work and compensation for extra costs of "intensive" caring.
The Carer's Allowance is currently £50.55 a week. Ministers said they were working to give carers more "balance". Carers say the current £50.55-a-week allowance is "insultingly low". Ministers say they are working to give carers more "balance".
In its report the committee said more state help was of "critical importance" and the current system was "outdated".
'Disappointed''Disappointed'
In its report - Valuing and Supporting Carers - the committee said more state help was of "critical importance". It recommended a "two-tier" approach combining income replacement and pension protection for carers who were unable to work or only able to work part-time, and compensation for extra costs incurred by "intensive" caring.
It recommended income replacement for carers who were only able to work part-time. It also said the government should help carers who want to return to work to do so.
Caring matters deeply to individuals, families and society in general Terry Rooney, Labour MP
The MPs said they were "disappointed" the government had not directly addressed financial help for carers in its Carers Strategy launched earlier this year, and that the group was identified as a long-term priority only from 2011.The MPs said they were "disappointed" the government had not directly addressed financial help for carers in its Carers Strategy launched earlier this year, and that the group was identified as a long-term priority only from 2011.
Carers struggled to stay in work and often suffered "opportunity penalties", finding their vocational skills became rusty and out of date, they said. Carers need a separate benefit which recognises that they are not unemployed but are making an important contribution to society Imelda Redmond, Carers UK class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5280&edition=1">Send us your comments
The committee's chairman, Labour MP Terry Rooney, said: "Caring matters deeply to individuals, families and society in general. Carers struggled to stay in work and often found their vocational skills became rusty and out of date, they said.
"Sustaining the ability of carers to provide the care and support they give to others is of critical importance." The committee's chairman, Labour MP Terry Rooney, told the BBC: "The average, if there is such a thing, carer is aged between 35 and 55. That's normally a prime earning period for people, so they lose out in terms of employment opportunity, earnings, future pensions.
'Matter of urgency' "And that group, I think, especially, truly needs to be recognised and recompensed in a better way."
Citizens Advice welfare policy officer Vicky Pearlman, who gave evidence to the committee, agreed the system was outdated and needed to be overhauled. 'Valuable contribution'
Carers need a separate benefit which recognises that they are not unemployed but are making an important contribution to society Imelda Redmond, Carers UK class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=5280&edition=1">Send us your comments She said: "The current system is enormously complicated, and even Department for Work and Pensions staff struggle to correctly identify, and clearly explain, the benefits that carers and their families are entitled to. He said 2011 was "too far away" and he hoped the report would bring changes more quickly.
"It is crucial that the government takes action to boost carers' incomes as a matter of urgency." The £50.55-a-week is the lowest income-replacement benefit and amounts to £1.44 an hour, assuming a minimum 35-hour week.
Imelda Redmond, chief executive of campaign group Carers UK, said the existing Carer's Allowance was "insultingly low".Imelda Redmond, chief executive of campaign group Carers UK, said the existing Carer's Allowance was "insultingly low".
It's not just about the benefits side. It's looking at support Anne McGuireMinister for disabled people
"The two-tier benefit recommended by the committee would be a major improvement to the current system," she said."The two-tier benefit recommended by the committee would be a major improvement to the current system," she said.
"Carers need a separate benefit which recognises that they are not unemployed but are making an important contribution to society.""Carers need a separate benefit which recognises that they are not unemployed but are making an important contribution to society."
'Valuable contribution' Anne McGuire, minister for disabled people, said she welcomed the report as a "valuable contribution to the debate" and said the government was working with employers to help carers get a better balance between their work and caring responsibilities.
Anne McGuire, minister for disabled people, said: "We are working with employers to ensure that carers can have a better balance between their work and caring responsibilities. She said a review of the care and support system would take place as part of a wider welfare reform programme.
"The government is committed to reviewing the care and support system as part of the longer-term welfare reform programme. But she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It's not just as straightforward as it might appear that you just up the amount of money - there are all sorts of ramifications to that."
"We welcome this report, which is a valuable contribution to the debate. We will study the recommendations and respond to them in due course." She added that the government had already provided extra resources to allow carers to take short breaks.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said carers' problems are "being listened to".
Earlier this year he told the BBC he would personally oversee government policy, which could see changes to the Carer's Allowance.