AM joins calls for changes to the benefit system for carers

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 2nd Sep 2008

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Social Justice spokesperson, Peter Black has pledged his support to those campaigning for a shake-up inf the present system of benefits for carers.

Speaking in the light of the recent Work and Pensions Select Committee report from MPs, Mr. Black said:

"The Select Committee has highlighted the fact that many carers are obliged to give up work, or move to lower-paying jobs in order to fulfil their caring responsibilities.

"At the moment Carers Allowance is just £50.55 per week. One charity estimates that one in five carers is forced to give up work, losing on average £11,000 in income. That is 70,000 of the 350,000 carers in Wales, losing £770m between them.

"In addition, it is estimated that unpaid carers save the exchequer about £87bn a year.

"Yet Labour, in their 10 year strategy for carers, will only consider carers' benefits from 2011; and then only as a long-term priority.

"This simply isn't fair. By the end of 2011, government will have saved an eye-watering £261bn because of the devotion of unpaid carers across the UK. It is high time the government devised a way to make sure that they get a better deal from the benefit system."