An online petition calling on the UK Government to increase the current Carer’s Allowance weekly payment to match the rates for the National Minimum Wage of an 18-year-old has passed the 10,000 signatures threshold and is now due an official response. The current weekly payment rate for Carer’s Allowance is £69.70, however, the petition wants to see it raised to £239.05 to “reflect the work carers do”.
The ‘Increase Carer's Allowance to equal 35hrs at National Minimum Wage’ petition is posted on the petitions-parliament website where it has now received more than 20,016 signatures of support.
Carer’s Allowance is paid to someone who provides care for a friend or family member for at least 35 hours each week. The benefit is paid every four weeks, amounting to £278.80 each pay period, however, Emma Roberts who created and posted the petition, has highlighted that when the payment rate is compared to that of someone aged 18 earring National Minimum Wage, it works out at less than £2 per hour, compared to £6.93 per hour.
