The Government should ensure carers do not become ineligible for benefits exempting Carer’s Allowance when calculating council tax reductions and other benefit entitlements.

We believe the current policy excludes carers from support routinely available to others, effectively penalising people for providing unpaid care. Unpaid carers save the public millions by providing essential support, yet many face financial hardship because Carer’s Allowance makes them ineligible for other financial support. In our view this unequal treatment penalises carers for providing unpaid care and should be corrected by ensuring they receive the same entitlements as other benefit claimants.