Caring and screwed - how the government criminalises and forces unpaid carers into poverty (and traps them there)

It seems to be a recurring cyclical message from government of all colours - their recognition of the value and importance of those of us who provide unpaid care to our family, friends, and neighbours.

But recent a recent National Audit Office report into the 'carer's allowance scandal' (how unpaid carers have been overpaid benefits and were seemingly refusing to pay the government back), reveals that the actions of our government (whichever colour badge they wear) completely contradict these expressions and apparent commitment of support for us:

Earlier in 2024, the right to Carers Leave for salaried employees was introduced, as part of an attempt to prevent people being forced to quit their jobs because of the often impossible task of having to balance an employers needs and expectations, with the needs of the person/people we care for. However, most of us who would be eligible to ask for this new legal right can't afford to do so, as it's unpaid - and as carers we're already more likely to be in poverty (even while working) that non-carers. This means that roughly 600 people EVERY DAY are still being forced to leave paid work.   

The actual design of the carers allowance benefit (at the heart of this 'scandal') means 91% of us aren't eligible to even begin to apply for it (I'm statemented as the sole unpaid carer for 3 immediate family members, but can't meet the qualifying criteria of it to even begin the application form). And if you already receive a state pension, you're automatically ineligible for it!

If you are lucky enough to be able to apply for carers allowance, and be awarded it, then you can't have a combined total personal income of more than £12,200 (made up of the roughly £8,000 cap on what you can earn, and the approximate £4,200 of carers allowance payments). Compare that to the national average salary of £37,000 (government's office of national statistics) and poverty line calculated by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation of £28,000 to have a minimum standard quality of life. And to further 'rub salt in the wound', if you do get this support for yourself, the person you're caring for may find that their personal benefits are cut..! https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/effect-on-other-benefits  

Which brings us to the recent National Audit Office report about carers being prosected and taken to court for overpayments they received (based on their weekly earnings sometimes exceeding the £151 maximum allowed).  https://www.nao.org.uk/reports/carers-allowance 

This report found that the typical overpayment a carer has received is £988.

To put that in context using the earlier figures in this post, that equates to:

• 3 months of full carers allowance;
• 4% of what's needed for a person to have a minimum standard quality of life (remember that the currently rules on carers allowance means a person is already over 50% short of being able to achieve this!)
• 3% of the average wage in the UK (= 1.5 weeks' wages)

And HMRC and the DWP are keen to recover these overpayments, by forcing carers who are already struggling and are in poverty (because the government's rules force them to be so - remember the limit on what you're allowed to earn?), to endure even more hardship, because of mistakes in these overpayments that these same government bodies recognise and admit to making themselves:

• the government are x5 more likely to chase the debt than forgive it (even though it's relatively little - see above);
• we have a 50/50 chance that in their chasing for these amounts, that they'll instigate a 'civil action' to get the money back off us - taking us to court, which will damage our credit rating, and so keep us in poverty into the future...

But why should this matter to you, dear reader, if you don't have caring responsibilities?

Well, as unpaid carers, we save the wider economy £162 BILLION EACH YEAR. The current total overpayments on carers allowance is £252million - less than 2% of this benefit of savings that the state already enjoys because of our efforts and sacrifices.

So, dear government, how about a little compassion and actual recognition of the precarious state we unpaid carers are in: instead of constantly forcing us (and the people we care for) further into poverty, actually reform carers allowance and support properly?

Otherwise, you might find that we can no longer continue to afford to be able to act in these ways, and you'll have to find that extra £162bn each year (which is equivalent to over 90% of the the £179bn NHS budget).