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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Patrick Butler and Pippa Crerar

‘Unfair’ cliff-edge rule that punished carers to be abolished in budget

A senior woman in wheelchair accompanied by a carer.
The new digital taper system will see just £1 of carer’s allowance payments removed for every additional £1 earned above the earnings limit. Photograph: Andrew Bret Wallis/Getty Images

The controversial rule that led to unpaid carers being punished with penalties amounting to thousands of pounds is to be abolished, the Guardian can reveal.

The chancellor, John Healey, is to announce a new digital taper system for carer’s allowance in Wednesday’s budget, effectively ending what is regarded as one of the UK benefit system’s most feared and unfair administrative practices.

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