Unpaid Carers: Inequalities

There are some other things that the Government can do immediately to ease the financial burden on unpaid carers, particularly those in receipt of carer’s allowance. I pay tribute to the long work of Baroness Pitkeathley on behalf of unpaid carers, both in the other place and beyond. On Tuesday, she asked the Minister of State at the Department for Work and Pensions in the House of Lords when we can expect the publication of the independent review into carer’s allowance overpayments. I would be most grateful for some further detail on that from the Minister and colleagues in the DWP, other than “by the end of the year”, given that it is only four weeks until the House rises for Christmas recess. When in that period can we expect the report to be published, and will there be time for parliamentary scrutiny of it? The overpayments scandal has affected thousands of people across the UK. The last thing that unpaid carers, and indeed the MPs representing them, want is a written statement hurriedly published in late afternoon on 18 December.

As we are still awaiting publication of the review and the Government’s response to it, I will set out some of the reforms needed to end the financial inequalities experienced by unpaid carers. The carer’s allowance earnings threshold must be pegged to the minimum wage, so that no unpaid carers in work ever find themselves earning “too much”, simply because the Government made it so. The rules on what unpaid carers can earn must be made clearer, and DWP staff must be trained better to prevent future inadvertent overpayments. Of course, the Timms review of personal independence payments must make sure not to disadvantage unpaid carers. I should acknowledge that my constituents in Scotland are now in receipt of the equivalent carer’s support payments.

Referring again to the Carer’s Leave Act, last night I attended the carers’ rights event in Parliament, where I was pleased to speak to a number of businesses that are already going above and beyond the provisions in the Act. They are doing that because they believe it makes good business sense. For them, it is about the psychological contract, improving employees’ loyalty and retaining them—staff retention is as important as recruitment.

I am pleased that the Government have published their terms of reference for the review of the Act. That has, in some respect, answered what was going to be my first question to the Minister. The bad news is that I have some other reflections on the back of yesterday’s announcement. The terms of reference published yesterday give a timeline for evidence gathering that started over a year ago, in autumn 2024. That is quite a lot of time for the Government to have been doing engagement and commissioned research before coming to Parliament or even announcing the review and what it aims to achieve. Will the Minister update us on what evidence and engagement has been secured to date?

There is a formal public consultation of 10 to 12 weeks to seek views. I know that unpaid carers, the networks that represent them and the organisations offering support will want to respond, but most of these structures are manned and run by volunteers or paid staff who are already stretched, and we know that unpaid carers have more than enough to deal with on a day-to-day basis already, and often feel guilty about the admin involved in their lives. Have the Government considered whether the 10-week consultation period will be long enough? What steps will they take to reach people and engage on the ground?

On the findings of the review, I have my suspicions, which I have raised with the Government before, that not enough businesses were made aware of the new right under the Act. I fear not enough businesses trained their managers, HR teams and employees about it, and I fear that the Government gave insufficient information to employers and businesses about their obligations. Without adequate communications, not enough unpaid carers knew to see themselves as carers or that they were entitled to the support. If it is going to be a paid leave right, if that is the direction of travel, we need to get better at those things. I want to say in words the Government will understand that I firmly believe paid carer’s leave supports the growth agenda and will help the economy.

One thing I have loved about joining the board of Fife Carers is seeing the impact on the local organisation and volunteers. The centre was shortlisted as a finalist for providing outstanding carer service at this year’s inaugural Carers UK awards. That is quite something for an organisation that started with just one part-time worker 30 years ago. The nomination recognised the value of the support the organisation provides, whether its hospital carer self-care kits or its carer support groups. I had the pleasure of attending one in Leven recently and people were not backward in coming forward to talk about the changes they want to see.

Whether someone is working and caring or caring full time, they will inevitably be exhausted. The “State of Caring 2025” report says that 74% of carers feel stressed or anxious, and 42% say their physical health has declined. We all need a break sometimes; carers need and deserve it more than most, but how are they to manage that when they have someone relying on them day in, day out? The answer is funded respite care. I am sure my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Sussex (Alison Bennett), my party’s spokesperson for care and carers, will mention that, given that she has a Bill before Parliament to ensure that unpaid carers are offered respite. I support that wholeheartedly. I hope the Minister can give us an update on that, too.

I am conscious of time, so I will end my remarks there. Inequalities exist and we have a responsibility here in this place to address them.

I strongly welcome the announcement yesterday from the Department for Business and Trade on the terms of reference for the review of employment rights for unpaid carers, and the comments made by the Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Halifax (Kate Dearden), at last night’s reception. The review will allow engagement from carers, employers and trade unions to understand how the existing unpaid carer’s leave entitlement is working; to examine options for different models of paid carer’s leave; to consider the options and principles for additional interventions; and to identify options with low or no cost to business and the Exchequer, and the appropriate routes for implementation.

I thank my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security and Disability for visiting my constituency back in May, when he met representatives of local charities —Carers Support Bexley, Bexley Mencap, Age UK Bexley, Citizens Advice Bexley, Irish Community Services, Bexley Voice, Bexley Deaf Centre, Inspire Community Trust and Bexley Voluntary Service Council —to discuss the support they give to carers through respite, equipment provision and, notably, access to financial guidance. I have worked with those groups for many years, both as a councillor and a carer, and I thank them for all they do to support my constituents across Barnehurst, Bexleyheath, Crayford, Northumberland Heath and Slade Green. At that roundtable, they set out how they are trying to provide financial support and introduce new innovative ways of working, which I know the Minister will have taken away and be looking at in detail.

I also thank two other local charities, Crossroads Care South East London and Evergreen Care, for their work supporting my constituents, and I pay tribute to carers across my constituency. As a parent collecting my child outside the gates of respite care, I know those parents. I am not just their MP; I have worked with them for many years. They may bring their cases to me, but they are my friends and fellow carers, and I pay tribute to them for all they do in very challenging circumstances.

Lastly, I have a few asks for the Minister. I hear what my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley said about the cycle of issues facing carers. We were lucky because we were working part-time in occupations that paid enough of an hourly rate to keep us going, but carers can face a cycle of poverty. They can also face health conditions as a result of being a carer. I am still lifting a 12-year-old around my house, which is still not fully accessible; she will never walk. We need to face those issues burdening carers, and the support in the 10-year-health plan will help with that.

In Parliament, we are employers too. We have a good ParliCare network for parliamentary staff, but we must always be setting an example. In Parliament, and through the ParliCare network, we as Members and employers must do all we can to demonstrate that we will support carers and that we expect others in the country to do the same.

In many cases, the parents or close family members of a child or young person who has been diagnosed with cancer will be their primary care giver throughout their illness and treatment—never mind the trauma that carers feel as they deal with someone who may not come out the other side. That is the reality of life. That is physically and mentally challenging for families, and the impacts of cancer and its treatment, along with the care needs, can last many years, given the nature of the disability.

The financial impacts of having a child with cancer include the loss of earnings. The families of children and young people with cancer face significant financial pressures and inequalities, which can start during the pre-diagnosis period but continue, and are most significant, following diagnosis. Many have to take time off or give up employment because of caring responsibilities. Seven in 10 households reported a loss of income and earnings because of having to take time to care for their child, or gave up work altogether because there was no other option. The average loss is around £6,000 a year, but for three in 10 households it is £10,000 a year. To try to meet caring needs, parents call on every source of leave and time off that they possibly can, frequently combining options until they are exhausted and, ultimately, the only option is unpaid time off or leaving employment.

The Minister is a kind Minister. I do not just say that; I mean it. We are all making a plea today on behalf of the carers. Yvonne in my office deals with benefits five days a week—sometimes five-and-a-half or six days a week—and the carer issue comes up all the time. We understand it well, and when we speak about it, we are speaking from experience.

In most cases, the carers of young cancer patients are eligible for carer’s allowance only once the child receives another form of benefit. For younger cancer patients, a young person receiving a personal independence payment or a child receiving disability living allowance is a gateway to their families receiving carer’s allowance. However, this leaves carers waiting months for support. There is a time period and a qualifying period, and I am asking that we get the money out as quick as possible. We should not drag our heels on this matter. A young person with cancer is eligible for PIP and DLA after being impacted by their condition for three months; this leaves the families of children and young people with cancer having to find and pay out nearly £5,000 extra in costs before their disability benefits are awarded.

Due to the immediate nature of the costs experienced by families, children and young people with cancer and their families should be entitled to access welfare benefits immediately. If we lose the unpaid care system, our NHS will collapse, and if we do not give families more support, they cannot sustain the situation. The choice seems clear: give more support and take away some of their financial problems and worries.

The inspirational founder of Dads Behaving Madly, Graham Porter, told me that he started the support group in Scarborough as a safe space for dads with disabled kids, as there was a massive gap in support for men like him. What started with just Graham and a mate has grown to 70 members across the Yorkshire coast. The dads meet to have curries or breakfast; to go surfing or cold-water swimming; to do a bit of yoga; to watch Scarborough Athletic play; and to connect, support, laugh, cry and, with all that cold water swimming, shiver together. Graham says that when they are supporting dads and male carers, including non-binary dads, they are not just helping one person but strengthening entire families and communities. One member of the group told me:

“It’s not the big sweeping gestures, it’s the small simple things that keep you going and create a real friendship within the group. I think that’s what I’d been missing most as it’s very difficult to talk to other dads about SEN or children with additional needs, when either their children don’t have them or the dads have no interest in it.”

The Labour Government have just unveiled England’s first ever men’s health strategy, which aims to tackle the crisis in men’s mental health. Will the Minister comment on whether the Government have an ambition to develop a new carer’s strategy that improves not only the financial wellbeing and security of unpaid carers but their mental health? Will he join me in thanking Dads Behaving Madly, as well as mums, grandparents, siblings and all the other 5.8 million unpaid carers behaving variously across the UK, for their amazing contribution to our families, communities and country?

The Carer’s Leave Act 2023, introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for North East Fife (Wendy Chamberlain), was a major step forward, giving working carers up to five days of unpaid leave per year. But that is still not enough. We Liberal Democrats are calling for paid carer’s leave and guaranteed respite, so that people are not forced to choose between their jobs and those they love. Our wider package of reforms would raise carer’s allowance by £20 a week and widen eligibility, recognising that too many carers miss out.

People like Emma give so much to their families, their communities and to our country. They should not be left to struggle on their own. I thank the hon. Member for Shipley (Anna Dixon) for securing both this debate and the presence of the Minister. We look forward to hearing from him the latest on the Government’s plans to support carers.

Finally, I heard from another long-term carer. He has overcome many challenges, including faulty equipment, particularly catheters; an unresponsive district nurse team who did not always recognise his important role; and ambiguity about responsibilities when the dependant and the carer fall into different authority areas. He has not been able to take a holiday in 10 years, although that is a sacrifice about which he felt no regret—I found that particularly inspiring.

I came away from that meeting earlier this year in awe of the contributions that these people make day after day, often with no complaint. But they are in dire need of greater support and recognition.

I welcome the progress the Government made in increasing the carer’s allowance last April but, despite the very difficult circumstances the country finds itself in, I believe we should go further. I am also looking for the Government to lead us in clearer integration with local authorities and the wider care system. Carers would like employers to understand their work more consistently, and we can work on that across Departments. I would also like the Government to ensure more public visibility and recognition of unpaid carers, and a renewed focus on identifying unpaid carers. We need more information about the help available to them.

I again thank my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley for being a champion in this place for unpaid carers and her constituents, and for her excellent work in Parliament on this issue. I look forward to reconvening the constituents I met earlier this year, along with Healthwatch Derbyshire and the Derbyshire All-Age Carers Support Service, to report back what the Minister says today about their important work.

I leave the Minister with my constituent’s words:

“I don’t want to financially benefit from caring for my mum. I just don’t want to be pushed into poverty while I keep her out of hospital and out of a care home.”

She cares for her mum 24/7. When worked out by the number of hours, carer’s allowance is about 55p per hour, because it covers nighttime care as well as daytime care. Surely the least that unpaid carers deserve from us is a benefit system—a carer’s allowance system—that supports, recognises and works with them, enabling them to provide the vital care that keeps those people who need it out of hospital and care homes.