Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
Wilson inquires about the potential merits of increasing carer's allowance and mentions a constituent, Natalie Hay.
My constituent, Natalie Hay, is a full-time unpaid carer for her son who has Lyme disease and ME. She receives £67 per week as long as she does not earn more than £128 per week but due to the pandemic, cannot work even part-time and feels forgotten by the Government.
Rightly, we target support at those most in need—those with low incomes—and they could, through universal credit, receive an additional £1,950 per year through the universal credit carer's element, plus the extra £1,040 universal credit standard rate increase, which is the equivalent of the jobseeker's allowance rate. I would encourage the claimant to look at all available support that they are entitled to.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy