I note from the text above Labour is to ” support carers financially through the Carers Allowance”.
To be eligible for CA, a carer must care for someone at least 35 hours a week, for this the carer receives the paltry sum of £61.35.
On October 1st, 2014, the National Minimum wage rises to £6.50 an hour, after just 9.5 hours work and probably doing something a lot less strenuous or stressful, the “worker” has earned more than the carer gets for the whole 35 hours. The caring role for many carers is in excess of 100 hours per week, but the maximum allowance is only £61.35.
To be fair Carers Allowance should be on a par with the National Minimum wage, after all many carers have given up paid work, to dedicate themselves to the care and welfare of someone with physical and/or mental disabilities. It should also continue to be paid, after the carer reaches retirement age, because he or she doesn`t just “down tools” upon reaching 65, the caring role continues, so why does the Allowance stop ?
Will Labour increase Carers Allowance to a level on a par with the Minimum Wage and continue to pay Carers Allowance, after the carer reaches retirement age ?
