Helen Whately MP is the Minister of State for Social Care
The current Carer’s Allowance is £76.75 per week .. as long as you care for at least 35 hours a week. This represents an hourly wage of £2.19.
The current minimum wages are:
18 – 20 £7.49ph
21-22 £10.18ph
23 and over £10.42ph
Most unpaid carers are over 23 .. so their Carer’s Allowance results in an hourly rate of £2.19 .. whereas the minimum wage is £10.42.
Dear Minister
We would appreciate your thoughts on the following three questions?
1) When will the Carer’s Allowance (at the moment £2.19ph) be increased to £10.42ph which is the currently the minimum wage for over 23s?
2) Do you think it s fair that an unpaid carer should work for just 21% of the national minimum wage?
3) Do you appreciate the role of an unpaid carer – and do you realise how hard and responsible it is?
We look for hearing your answers with regard to the above at your earliest convenience.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Jordan (chris@disabilitytalk.co.uk)
