The Government is asking unpaid carers to help shape the future of Carer's Allowance – and your experience could make a real difference.
The Department for Work and Pensions has launched a Carer’s Allowance Call for Evidence, giving unpaid carers, former carers and organisations the opportunity to share their experiences of the current system and help inform future reforms.
At Carers Support West Sussex, we know that carers are the experts in their own lives. Every caring role is different, but many carers face similar challenges balancing work, finances and the demands of supporting someone they care for. This consultation is an opportunity to make those experiences count.
What is the Carer’s Allowance consultation?
The Government’s Carer’s Allowance Call for Evidence is gathering views on how Carer’s Allowance could work better for today’s carers.
The consultation is looking at issues including:
- balancing paid employment with unpaid caring
- the impact of the current earnings limit
- how carers experience claiming Carer’s Allowance
- whether the benefit reflects the realities of caring today
- ideas for creating a fairer and more sustainable system.
Whether you currently receive Carer’s Allowance, have claimed it in the past or have never been eligible, the Government wants to hear about your experiences.
Taking carers’ voices directly to Government
One of our Carer Voice Network members, Jayne, recently joined five other unpaid carers to meet with Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, before the consultation was launched.
The Minister wanted to hear directly from carers about the realities of Carer’s Allowance.
Jayne explained:
“The Minister wanted to hear about our experiences of Carer’s Allowance, and we all had different stories to tell.”
For Jayne, the biggest challenge is balancing work with caring for her daughter.
“I’m in a situation where I can only work flexible hours in order to meet the needs of my daughter, who I care for. I was able to tell the Minister how stressful it is to have to stay within the earnings limit and the risk of being asked to pay back the benefit if I breach it.”
Other carers described different experiences. Some spoke about not qualifying for Carer’s Allowance despite providing many hours of care. Others talked about losing the benefit when they reached State Pension age or trying to survive on a very limited income because caring made paid employment impossible.
Although their stories were different, they all shared one message:
The current system needs to be fairer and better reflect the realities of unpaid caring.
Why this consultation matters
There are around six million unpaid carers across the UK, saving health and social care services billions of pounds every year. Yet many carers experience financial hardship, reduced employment opportunities and increasing pressure on their own health and wellbeing.
The Government has said it wants this consultation to be shaped by carers’ lived experiences. That means every response submitted has the potential to influence future policy.
If you’ve ever felt that Carer’s Allowance doesn’t reflect the reality of your caring role, this is your opportunity to explain why.
Every unpaid carer can take part
You do not have to be receiving Carer’s Allowance to respond.
The consultation is open to:
- unpaid carers currently receiving Carer’s Allowance
- carers who have claimed previously
- carers who have never qualified
- working carers
- carers who cannot work because of their caring responsibilities
- organisations that support carers.
Your experience matters, whatever your circumstances.
“Our stories and voices must be at the heart of it”
Jayne has one message for fellow carers:
“As a carer, I know the pressures on our time and the feeling that no one will listen anyway, but I would like to feel that I can trust the Minister when he promised us he would deliver something better than what we have now.
It will only be better, though, if it is reformed with our stories and voices at the heart of it.”
Those words reflect exactly why this consultation is so important.
Real change starts with real experiences.
Have your say
The Carer’s Allowance consultation is open until 18 August 2026.
If you can spare a few minutes, we encourage you to take part and help shape a fairer future for unpaid carers.
Every experience shared helps build a clearer picture of what life is really like for carers and what needs to change.
Take part in the Government’s Carer’s Allowance Call for Evidence and make your voice heard.
