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Gordon Lishman, Director General of Age Concern, said:

"It is unforgivable that so many people are penalised for caring for a loved one. The current system of benefits for carers is inadequate, unfair and should be urgently overhauled.

"Despite the problems, it is really important that all carers make sure they are receiving the benefits to which they are entitled. By putting in a claim, carers under state pension age could receive a much-needed boost to their income as well as a weekly credit towards their state pension. But carers above state pension age could also benefit from claiming. Although Carer’s Allowance cannot be paid on top of the state pension, it is still well worth putting in a claim in order to receive higher levels of other benefits such as Pension Credit and Council Tax Benefit. “

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Notes to editors

• Age Concern is launching the next phase of its year-long Your Rights campaign, to encourage people to claim all the benefits they are entitled to, on 13 June 2007. The focus will be Carer’s Allowance and carer’s benefits. For more information, please contact Emma or Helen in the Age Concern media team on 020 8765 7515 or 7514.
• Age Concern publishes a number of information sheets, available free of charge by calling its national helpline on freephone 0800 00 99 66. Information Sheet #15 is on Carer’s Allowance.

FACTFILE

• Around 1 in 8 adults in the UK is a carer
• Every year over 2 million people become carers
• The most likely age to be a carer is between 50-59
• Most carers look after older people, an estimated 70% of those cared for are 65 years or over
• 1 in 3 carers (38%) are caring for their parents, while almost 1 in 5 (18%) are caring for their spouse
• By 2037 the number of carers could have increased to 9 million due to an ageing population and changes in community care policy
• 17% - almost one in five - single female pensioners lives in poverty (1.1. million)
• Only 24% of newly retired women are entitled to a full basic state pension on their own record

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Journalists contact:

Media contact:
Helen Wanless/Emma Hayes
Telephone:
020 8765 7514/15
Email:
Media@ace.org.uk