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Dept of Social Security

Answer

Ms Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he plans to take to ensure that carers who will become entitled to Invalid Care Allowance as a result of the new package of measures for carers being introduced in April are made aware of their potential entitlement and encouraged to claim Invalid Care Allowance. [152331] Mr. Bayley: There are two elements of the carer package which will be implemented in April--the increase in the carer premium and the increase in the Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) earnings limit. The increase in the carer premium which is paid with Income Related Benefits has been publicised along with the details of benefit uprating. This will be paid automatically and additional claims will not be required. The earnings limit in ICA will increase to £72 a week, after allowable expenses, in April. This will enable more carers to retain their benefit while working. The change in the limit was announced last autumn and a further reminder to carers will be issued in a Press Release nearer the date of the change. In addition, all working carers who make claims for ICA in the six months period from 2 January 2001 to 2 July 2001 and are disallowed, regardless of the reason, are being advised of the earnings limit increase.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

364 c295W; 152331

Session

2000-01

Subjects

Benefits rules Carers Carers' benefits Eligibility Earnings rules Publicity Carer's premium

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk