The Budget ends the rule that strips all Carer's Allowance for earning a penny too much, but not until 2030. The county council wants overpayments written off.

Unpaid carers in Stevenage who lose their whole Carer’s Allowance for earning as little as a penny over the weekly limit will see that rule scrapped, but Hertfordshire County Council says the change announced in this week’s Budget is not expected to take effect until 2030 and comes too late for carers already facing repayments.

The county council, whose headquarters is at Robertson House on Six Hills Way in Stevenage, responded to the Budget on 30 October. It welcomed the end of what campaigners call the cliff edge, the rule under which a carer loses the entire allowance, not just part of it, once their earnings go over the Weekly Earnings Limit.

A letter in August

Cllr Sally Symington, the county’s Executive Member for Adult Care Services, wrote to the Government in August urging it to reform the cliff edge so that carers “would not lose their entire allowance for earning as little as a penny over the Weekly Earnings Limit”, the council said.

The Department for Work and Pensions replied setting out its intention to reform Carer’s Allowance, and that reform was announced publicly in the Budget this week.

The council’s concern is timing, and the carers who have already been caught out. It says carers who have been “unjustly saddled with costly repayments” will still have to repay them under the announcement as it stands.

“Support now, not in several years’ time”

Cllr Symington said: “While we know the end to the Carer’s Allowance cliff edge will be welcome news for Hertfordshire’s unpaid carers, we are disappointed that this decision is not expected to be implemented until 2030. Carers who are struggling with rising costs or who have faced overpayments need support now, not in several years’ time.

“What’s more, we echo our previous calls to urge the Government to write off Carer’s Allowance overpayments incurred by carers through no fault of their own, and give those who are the backbone of our care system a clean sheet.

“With pressures on Adult Social Care budgets from the Fair Funding Review, supporting unpaid carers is more important than ever. We will be writing to the Government to share our concerns that this week’s announcement does not go far enough to protect unpaid carers.”

Help for carers in Stevenage now

The county council’s carers pages say anyone who helps an adult friend or family member who could not manage without them is a carer, “even if you’re not paid”. What is on offer there:

  • a free carer’s assessment, and an “in case of emergency” plan, if you support an adult; a separate parent carer’s assessment if your child has special educational needs or disabilities
  • a “carers and benefits” factsheet, with Citizens Advice and the Upfront tool pointed to for help checking entitlements and applying
  • free Carers UK digital resources for any unpaid carer in Hertfordshire: register with your email and use the code #EFC1543
  • a Carers’ Passport from Carers in Hertfordshire, which gives discounts at shops and services
  • information on respite breaks, health and wellbeing, work and learning, and young carers