Support for Carers — [Mr Philip Hollobone in the Chair]

Noted that many carers are young people and highlighted the importance of identifying them correctly. Emphasised the need for cross-party support to raise awareness about caring responsibilities and ensure that all carers can access appropriate support. Raised concerns over the gendered impact of caring responsibilities, with many being women, and stressed the importance of addressing this in government interventions. Mentioned that 36% of carers felt unable to manage their roles due to reduced support from health services during the pandemic. Highlighted financial support measures by the Scottish Government including a £129 million payment made since 2018 for more than 100,000 carers.

Described a personal experience as a carer for over 22 years. Highlighted an incident where a man caring for his bedridden mother had his allowance of adult diapers reduced from four to three per day by NHS decision-making, leading the carer to feel overwhelmed and desperate. Emphasised the unexpected challenges carers face and praised Tykes Young Carers organisation in Golspie for its support of young carers. Further to what the Minister just said, Migdale Hospital in my constituency has in recent times lost a lot of beds. That is a combination of the NHS, and—because healthy policy is devolved—the Scottish Government. Does the Minister agree that that is a real problem? This is not joined-up government. Whatever influence she can bring to bear on the Scottish Government to reverse those decisions, which fly in the face of good government, would be helpful.

Transforming support for families who care for elderly and disabled relatives must be at the heart of any social care reform plan. Carers face a battle to navigate NHS and social care systems, struggle with lack of breaks, and have seen their situation worsen due to pre-existing budget cuts and the pandemic. The Government needs to deliver on its promise to fix social care crisis.

I visited Gateshead Carers, learning that there are over 25,000 unpaid carers in the area saving £500 million annually. I met several individuals who highlighted the challenges faced by unpaid carers, including lack of support, financial strain, and isolation due to the pandemic. I very much welcome the efforts made to reopen day services. However, will the Minister accept that many local authorities already find their social care funding stretched incredibly hard and so find it difficult to maintain some of those services? Does the Minister accept that there is a funding issue here?

Discussed the issue of young carers, highlighting challenges such as bullying and mental health issues. Emphasised the need for identification and support by schools and GPs, citing a Prime Minister's commitment to improve this area.

Mr Dowd expressed disappointment at the limited participation in the debate and highlighted that around 7% of the UK population provided unpaid care, which is an average of over 7,500 people per constituency. He discussed the challenges faced by carers supporting individuals with dementia, mentioning a significant increase projected to occur by 2030. Mr Dowd also pointed out the financial impact of unpaid care since the start of the pandemic and criticised the Government's disarray in addressing support for carers.

She highlighted the dire situation for both unpaid and paid carers, emphasising that more than half of care workers were underpaid between 2017 and 2019. She also mentioned that some private companies in Salford have refused to accept public funding aimed at improving wages and terms and conditions. Rebecca shared testimonies from care workers describing poor working conditions and inadequate support, arguing for better pay and security for carers.

Unpaid carers are not sufficiently supported, leading to reliance on services like food banks. Carer's allowance excludes younger carers and those earning over £128 a week or studying more than 21 hours weekly. The overlapping benefits rule impacts eligibility for carer's allowance, especially affecting pension recipients aged 66 or older. Chamberlain highlighted the inadequacy of the current allowance of £67.25 per week, which does not reflect the value of caring and leaves many in poverty. She also mentioned constituents facing financial difficulties due to respite care limits and deductions from universal credit.

I am concerned about the strain on carers during the pandemic and the need for a more sustainable support system. With an estimated 10 million people caring unpaid, there is an urgent requirement to address their needs. Ms Hobhouse highlighted the challenges faced by young carers, particularly during school holidays, noting that up to 100,000 children in England have significant caring responsibilities. She cited research indicating that nearly 200,000 young carers were identified in England and Wales in 2011, with one in eight under the age of eight. The pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, with many young carers now spending more time on their responsibilities, impacting their education and mental health. Ms Hobhouse praised a programme by Bath Philharmonia that supports young carers through music-making activities. I thank the Minister for giving way, for her response and for her clear understanding. Will she listen to our demand to look at the eligibility criteria so that all in education can be included in the carer's allowance?