A government scheme aimed to help carers obtain a better state pension failed to reach 91% of its audience in the previous financial year, according to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
A Freedom of Information request by Quilter revealed that only 17,388 carers claimed Carer’s Credit in 2018/19, when according to the Department of Work and Pensions, around 200,00 are eligible.
Although this number is significantly better than the 3,524 (3%) that claimed it in 2016/17, it’s clear that more needs to be done to make carers aware of what they’re missing out on.
With only 9% of those eligible claiming the credit, and each claim worth £237, there is around 43.3bn unclaimed every year.
To qualify for the credit, a carer must be between 16 and state pension age and spend more than 20 hours a week caring for a disabled person who is in receipt of either the:
- disability living allowance care component rate (middle or highest rate)
- attendance allowance
- constant attendance allowance
- personal independence payment daily living component (standard or enhanced rate)
- armed forces independence payment.
Steve Webb, director of policy at Royal London, said:
“These schemes are introduced with the best of intentions, but they become no more than window-dressing if virtually nobody actually takes them up.
Governments cannot simply hope people find the information on official websites or rely on the occasional ministerial press release.
It is time for proactive communications with those who are meant to benefit, so that far more people get the help to which they are entitled.”
Since the government introduced strict coronavirus lockdown measures for vulnerable people, it is likely that even more people will qualify for carer’s credit this year as family members and friends have been able to spend more time assisting their vulnerable loved ones by doing their shopping, arranging appointments and picking up prescriptions whilst they cannot get out themselves.
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