Obtaining this information would require a manual review of individual claims and could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Client Level Data was mandated from 2023 and is a data collection that draws directly from local authorities’ own administrative records.

The first time that Client Level Data was used to inform the adult social care activity report was in October 2025. This report did not publish statistics on support to unpaid carers because the relevant data was incomplete.

Many local authorities delegate unpaid carer support and assessments to external organisations and hence were unable to provide the data from their administrative records. The Department is working with local authorities and stakeholders to improve their recording of data on unpaid carers. We intend to resume publication of the data on unpaid carers as soon as data quality is assessed to be satisfactory.

The Government inherited a system where some busy carers, already struggling under a huge weight of caring responsibilities, have found themselves with unexpected debts due to earnings-related overpayments of Carer’s Allowance which they were asked to pay back. This only affected some of the relatively small number of Carer’s Allowance claimants who also do paid work, but the impact on some of these unpaid carers has been significant.

Liz Sayce OBE led an Independent Review into the matter. The Review’s report, which we published on 25 November 2025, alongside the Government’s response, has been invaluable in assessing how these overpayments have arisen; what can be done to support unpaid carers who have incurred debts in the past; and how further overpayments can be minimised in future.

The Review has shown that some mistakes were made, and we are determined to put them right. The Government has welcomed the report and is accepting or partially accepting 38 out of the 40 recommendations. In some cases, the changes the report is asking for have already been made. Others will take more time to put in place.

The department agrees the guidance on averaging earnings between 2015 and summer 2025 did not accurately reflect the statutory position with respect to those with fluctuating earnings. That is why we are putting steps in place to run a reassessment exercise. This exercise will begin later this year, and we will communicate details on how this will work in due course.

The department does not routinely publish data at a benefit level linked to benefit fraud prosecutions. However, data on the volume of prosecutions since 2015, where published, can be found in their respective Annual Report available here: DWP annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK. For example, for the 2024/25 figures see page 114 in the Annual Report and Accounts.

My Department has engaged with stakeholders on the design of the Fund through a structured process, including eligibility requirements. We are considering feedback received through this process, and we plan to publish guidance this month.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 December 2025 to question UIN 99555.

The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) Fundamental Standard on Visiting and Accompanying (Regulation 9A) came into force on 6 April 2024 to strengthen requirements for CQC registered care homes, hospitals, and hospices to facilitate visiting, unless there are exceptional circumstances which mean that it is not safe to do so. This can be a visit from a family member, a friend, or a person visiting to provide companionship or support, for example, a care supporter.

In April 2025, we launched a review of the CQC’s Regulation 9A to assess whether the legislation has been effective in addressing concerns about visiting in health and care settings. Depending on the outcome of the review, we will consider whether further action is needed.

The Government is committed to ensuring that families and carers have the support they need.

Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including mental health and wellbeing support for families and carers.

The Government also recognises how important it is for grieving families and friends who have lost loved ones to have access to the support they need, when they need it. Bereavement support is commissioned locally, to meet the needs of the local population. NHS England has developed guidance for integrated care boards which requires local commissioners to ensure there is sufficient access to bereavement support services.

(a) As of November 2024, there were 652,752 individuals entitled to both Carer’s Allowance and Universal Credit in England and Wales.

(b) As of November 2024, there were 978,159 households with Carers Entitlement to Universal Credit in Great Britain, with 893,258 of these in England and Wales.

(c) The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.

No recent assessment has been made.

The carers element in Universal Credit is an additional amount of benefit paid to support carers who provide care of 35 hours or more each week for a severely disabled person and as such these particular claimants have no work-related requirements. The carer’s element is paid in recognition of the support provided by carers for relatives, partners and friends who may be ill, frail or disabled.

Work allowances in Universal Credit are currently focussed on those with work requirements who may face additional barriers to finding and keeping work. These are for people with children and people who have limited capability for work because of a health condition or disability.

This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by carers every day in providing significant care and continuity of support to sick and disabled family and friends. Without the support they provide there would be more pressure on formal social care services, whether provided by local authorities or through other routes.

The Casey Commission, announced recently by this government, will start a national conversation about what care and support working age adults, older people, and their families should expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers. Furthermore, the Government’s plans to reform and modernise the NHS will see reduced waiting times and improved care, helping people to remain in work and economically active. And the Government is reviewing the implementation of the Carer’s Leave Act, which gave employed carers a right to time off work for the first time. We will also explore the benefits of paid leave, while being mindful of the impact of any changes on small employers. Through the Employment Rights Bill, we will make sure that flexible working – which can play such an important role in helping carers balance their work and caring responsibilities - is available to all workers except where it is genuinely not feasible.

With respect to support from DWP, unpaid carers on low incomes can receive support through Universal Credit. This can respond flexibly to variations in earnings and caring responsibilities and includes a carer element worth £2,400 a year for those providing unpaid care of 35 hours a week or more. Full-time carers are also exempt from requirements to seek or prepare for paid work, although they can request employment support if they wish to do so. For those providing unpaid care of less than 35 hours a week, Universal Credit seeks to balance paid work and unpaid care by tailoring the number of hours people are expected to work or search for work to take account of their caring responsibilities. Part-time unpaid carers receive personalised employment support through their Jobcentre Plus work coach. This can include access to skills provision, referral to an employment support programme such as Restart, careers advice, job search support, volunteering opportunities, and access to the Flexible Support Fund to aid job entry.

For those in England and Wales who are providing care of 35 hours or more a week to a disabled or elderly person with care needs, Carer’s Allowance is available. This is subject to a weekly earnings limit, which since 7 April 2025 has been linked to 16 hours work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels. This government has increased the threshold by the biggest amount ever, meaning it is currently £196 a week of net earnings (after allowable costs, including costs related to care), compared to £151 in 2024/25. The increase means that over 60,000 additional people will be able to receive Carer’s Allowance between 2025/26 and 2029/30. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and is the highest percentage increase since 2001.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

The Department does not hold the data requested.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 March 2025 to Question 33291.

This Government is committed to ensuring families have the support they need. We want to ensure that people who care for family and friends are better able to look after their own health and wellbeing. Local authorities have duties to support people caring for their family and friends. The Care Act 2014 requires local authorities to deliver a wide range of sustainable, high-quality care and support services, including support for carers such as respite and breaks.

The Government recognises the challenges facing the adult social care system. That is why the Government is launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.

The Commission will start a national conversation about what working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support. Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service is clear that a fresh approach to supporting and involving unpaid carers is required to improve outcomes for carers, people needing care and the NHS.

We will carefully consider these findings as part of our 10-year plan for reforming and modernising the NHS and as we develop plans to reform adult social care, including through the National Care Service.

Further, I recently met with employers and the Department for Business and Trade to discuss how employers are driving best practice in supporting working carers. The Government is committed to reviewing the implementation of Carer’s Leave and examining the benefits of introducing paid Carer’s Leave.

The Department holds data on the number of unpaid carers over the age of 18 receiving direct support from local authorities (LAs) in England, and the cost of this support. Data is collected from LAs in the Short and Long Term data return and the Adult Social Care Finance Return, and published in the Adult Social Care Activity and Finance Report, which is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/adult-social-care-activity-and-finance-report

The Better Care Fund (BCF) includes funding that can be used for unpaid carer support, including short breaks and respite services for carers. As set out in the BCF policy framework published on 30 January 2025, to meet the objectives of the BCF, local areas should provide support for unpaid carers.

Funding for supporting unpaid carers is not ringfenced within the BCF. Local authorities and integrated care boards agree the amount of BCF funding in their locality that will be committed to support carers, in the context of other sources of funding and with reference to their statutory duties to support unpaid carers. As a result, actual spend by local authorities on services to support carers may differ.

Local authorities have a responsibility to support those caring for family and friends.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities must provide a range of high-quality care services, including support for carers. They are required to conduct Carer’s Assessments for individuals who may need support and to meet their eligible needs upon request.

We have already taken some steps to support carers. From April 2025, the Government will raise the Carer's Allowance earnings limit from £151 to £196 a week, the largest increase since the allowance was introduced in 1976.

Additionally, the Accelerating Reform Fund has allocated £42.6 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support innovation and improve services for unpaid carers. Lord Darzi’s independent review of the National Health Service calls for a fresh approach to supporting unpaid carers, to improve outcomes for carers, those receiving care, and the NHS. We will consider these findings in our 10-Year Health Plan and in shaping future adult social care reforms.

The Government is launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.The Commission will start a national conversation about what working age adults, older people, and their families expect from adult social care, including exploring the needs of unpaid carers who provide vital care and support.