Carer's Allowance
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to (a) review and (b) amend carer's allowance.
Answered by Sir Stephen Timms
The Government keeps all aspects of Carer’s Allowance (CA) under review to see if it is meeting its objectives.
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has a statutory duty to review State Pension and benefit rates each year based on a review of trends in prices and earnings growth in the preceding year. In April 2025 the rate of Carer’s Allowance increased by 1.7% to £83.30 per week.
We have taken steps to improve the way CA operates and to support those who can combine their caring responsibilities with some paid work, including changing the weekly CA earnings limit to match 16 hours work at National Living Wage levels. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since CA was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001. Over 60,000 additional people will be able to receive CA between 2025/26 and 2029/30 as a result of investment worth around £500 million.
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