Unpaid carers should get a pension

[ICantFloss]

By unpaid carers, I mean those thousands of us that receive carers allowance and care for our loved ones.
Carers allowance doesn't go far. For me I know I could work to top it up, but I actually care for 2 people, but can only claim for 1 carers allowance as apparently I am caring for 35 hours a week. No I am caring 24/7. Plus my own health is now affected. I don't get a break. Ever. But I love my family so I do it.
I do worry about my future, I can't save for a pension at all and really don't feel valued as a carer.
So AIBU to want a brighter future?

I totally see your point and think it's terrible how little carers get. I don't think the answer could be in the form of an 'extra' pension though - logistically, I'm just not sure things work like that. It's state pension for all and private if you pay in so I don't know how they could change that without outrage.

But employers have to pay in to their employees' pensions too. And all employees have to be in a pension scheme (I think it's all?) So carers (and the self employed, I guess?) are massively disadvantaged.

Seeing how much money carers save the government, I don't see why family carers couldn't be registered with a local care agency, paid like 'normal' carers and have access to that agency's pension scheme?

It is disgusting that we pay our carers such a pittance.

Just to clarify something a previous poster said - the guarantee part of pension credit, the bit that guarantees you will have a certain minimum amount, is most definitely still here! It's just the savings part which has gone. And pension credit is quite generous compared to JSA, ESA etc.

@Babyroobs good idea linking rates of carers to DLA/PIP rates.

Carers really shouldn't be a benefit though should it? I have to declare it on the tax credits form each year.

@elliejjtiny I've guided a friend through the appeal process for PIP a couple of times, so do PM me if you could do with help or sympathy. I don't have any qualifications that are relevant but I do have a working knowledge of the system and both appeals were upheld.

I’m entitled to CA but don’t claim it as I work part time so earn over the threshold, which is INCREDIBLY low.

What pisses me off is CA is classed as a taxable benefit; it’s a pittance and people claiming it aren’t earning much (if at all) so why tax them further?

The person eligible for the DLA/PIP isn’t taxed on it (rightly so) and there are no earnings limits to claim it. So why is the person who cares for them subject to thresholds and tax?

It sucks.

I always felt carers should be able to get WTC (when it wasn't being phased out!). The boost in income would also have meant we lost some HB but could have paid the difference in rent ourselves, which is so good for making you feel like a real member of society. So we'd have a bit more money and a bit more sense of self worth.

It's a benefit, and we are working bloody hard with many people saying 'I don't know how you do it'. We don't get 'paid' any where near what we should do, and we are taxed on what we do get, well we have to declare it anyway.

You will still get a state pension. Anything you want above that you will have to fund yourself. Like everyone else has to. I sympathise, I really do, but I’m not sure quite what else you want from the government. There is only so much money and you need to earn more if you want a higher standard of living, those are the cold facts of life. And before anyone leaps in and has a go at me, I’m also on careers allowance and have no other pension in place.

Carers can get working tax credits alongside carers allowance if they work too. And in a couple if one is claiming carers allowance and the other works, the working partner can work just 16 hours and claim working tax credits.

I know people that work 2 jobs and provide care others work full time and provide care. It obviously depends on personal circumstances. The system should provide the basic state pension.

Those people wouldn't be getting carers allowance. If you are the carer of a person who can never be left alone you are very unlikely to be able to work full time or 2 jobs.

@WeirdCatLady I want change, that's want I want

I work part-time and have a disabled son on mrc and an elderly mum who needs a lot of help. Like others have said you can't claim carers because the earnings threshold is so low. I have thought about seeking a job that pays £500 pcm just to claim because I would be no worse off but really like my job and wouldn't feel comfortable doing that anyway. What I really need are holiday clubs that understand the needs of kids with a learning disability as that would help working parents so much

babyroobs unfortunately that only works if it isn't one of a couple caring for the other one. There seems to be an assumption built into the whole benefits and social care system that this only happens when both partners are at pensionable age. Support groups, help with DIY, anything like that is only aimed at over 60's. And most of that is because of the work of charities like Age Concern, not through any government initiative.

It's pretty bleak really, but I can't do much other than get on with things while the house crumbles around me and tigers populate our garden and people walking by assume we must be really thriftless and lazy... There are so many things that people not in this situation don't realise or assume there must be easily accessed help for.

Silver - It's very hard , I mentioned in an earlier post about my line of work and coming into contact with a lot of terminally ill people and their partners having to give up work to care for them, it's very hard for people in this category and in your situation.

One way round this would be to scrap the current ‘carers allowance’ and replace it with a better allowance which more accurately reflects the levels of care a disabled person needs, rather than having the ‘blanket’ eligibility that comes with the care component of PIP/DLA

Unfortunately, like the changeover from DLA/PIP it would likely be a disaster for many who are currently content with the arrangement they have.