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Written question asked by Kate Green (Labour) on Monday, 27 June 2022, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 30 June 2022 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Thursday, 30 June 2022. A substantive answer was provided by Chloe Smith (Conservative) on Monday, 4 July 2022 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

Carers' Benefits

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of carers received both the (a) Carer’s Allowance and (b) Carer Premium in (i) England, (ii) Wales, (iii) Scotland and (iv) Northern Ireland in the most recent period for which data is available.

Answer

The following table shows the latest available statistics in Great Britain at November 2021, of the number of Carer’s Allowance recipients who are also in receipt of the:

  • Carer premium via Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support and Housing Benefit;
  • Carer addition via Pension Credit;
  • Carer element via Universal Credit.

These figures are broken down further for England, Wales and Scotland.

Great Britain

England

Wales

Scotland

Carer’s Allowance recipients

921,320

783,800

56,450

80,380

Carer’s Allowance recipients also in receipt of:

Universal Credit (receiving carer element)

248,570

212,180

14,040

22,330

Universal Credit (not receiving carer element)

34,770

29,900

1,930

2,940

Jobseeker's Allowance carer premium

700

600

0

100

Income Support carer premium

155,680

131,200

9,540

14,940

Pension Credit carer addition

3,280

3,000

120

170

Housing Benefit carer premium

92,530

79,720

5,950

6,860

Source: DWP Quarterly Statistical Enquiry 5% data, 100% DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) and DWP Single Housing Benefit Extract (November 2021)

Notes

  1. Figures for Universal Credit (UC), Income Support (IS), Pension Credit (PC) and Housing Benefit (HB) are rounded to the nearest 10 and Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) is rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
  2. JSA figures have been uprated using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) totals.
  3. The figures shown will be a subset of the total numbers in receipt of each carer premium / addition / element, as it’s possible for carers to receive these without also being in receipt of Carer’s Allowance.
  4. We do not hold information on the number of carers not in receipt of a carer’s benefit.

The information requested is not readily available for Employment and Support Allowance claimants, or Carer’s Allowance claimants who are partners of those receiving Income Support or Pension Credit. To provide this additional information would incur disproportionate cost.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
25848
Session
2022-23
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Carers' benefits
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk