Number of people aged over 50 receiving Carer’s Allowance increases by 22% to more than 375,000 since the pandemic

According to the Government’s website, people eligible for Carer’s Allowance should be aged 16+, not in full time education and not earning more than £132 a week from employment or self-employment after tax, national insurance and expenses. They must spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a sick or disabled person and the person being cared for must be in receipt of a qualifying benefit such as the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or the middle or highest care rate of the Disability Living Allowance for example.

Stuart Lewis, Chief Executive of Rest Less, commented: “Our analysis highlights the increasing challenge faced by people in their 50s and 60s of juggling work and caring responsibilities – a burden that continues to fall disproportionately on women.

‘Much has been said about the significant increase in economic inactivity since the pandemic due to long term sickness and ill health. Our latest analysis shows the knock-on increase in the number of over 50s who are now receiving Carer’s Allowance as a result, with many having to juggle a job or a job search at the same time as caring for loved ones in poor health.

‘Crucially, these figures are only the tip of the iceberg as they don’t take into consideration the millions of unpaid carers who are not eligible for this government benefit due to the high eligibility hurdle of providing at least 35 hours a week of care. At Rest Less we see many midlifers who are struggling to manage work around part-time caring responsibilities – such as for elderly relatives, spouses, teenage children or even grandchildren given a lack of affordable childcare.

‘There are now more than 376,000 over 50s in receipt of Carer’s Allowance – an increase of 22% since before the pandemic. We’ve spoken to Rest Less members who have had caring responsibilities for a long time without claiming the benefit, but having left the workplace for good, are now eligible for the first time. Similarly, we’ve heard from others who have managed without claiming the benefit, despite being eligible, but are having to claim for the first time because finances are so squeezed right now.

‘Ahead of the budget, if the Government needed further evidence of the importance of flexible working patterns to enable large swathes of this demographic back to the workplace then this is it.”

Dr Emily Andrews, Deputy Director for Work at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: “The rise in the number of over-50s receiving Carer’s Allowance and the high proportion of Carer’s Allowance claimants not in work is a significant factor in the current economic inactivity crisis.

‘If the Chancellor wants to see more older people returning to work, then we really need to see more from his government and employers in making work more accessible to people who need to balance employment with caring responsibilities. For many older people it is not the lure of the golf course keeping them away from work but the huge responsibility of caring for loved ones.

‘To make work viable for the nation’s carers, we need to see greater availability of flexible work opportunities. The government could take a lead here by delivering on their promise to give all workers the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.

‘The Carer’s Leave Bill progressing through the Lords currently, allowing carers a week of unpaid leave annually, is also a positive step forward but ultimately we would like to see the government going further and making paid carer’s leave a right in the near future.”

Rest Less currently has more than 50,000 roles from age inclusive employers on its site, of which more than 8,000 are part-time and more than 600 are fully remote. To search for a new role, click here.

Case study

Helen Smith is 52 and lives in Cardiff with her 82 year old mother. She has a grown up son who is 26 and a grandson who is four who live in Swansea. Helen has spent the past six years caring for her mum and spends approximately 65 hours a week on her caring responsibilities. She also juggles a social media job which is only 15 hours a week (she works flexibly and from home) but it means she is not eligible for Carer’s Allowance. She has used her savings to self-fund the care.

Helen says their relationship is very much two way and whilst she does everything for her mum – the shopping, cooking, housework – she gets so much back from her too. She says her life is more enriched with her mother in it and that they give each other comfort and company. They’ve been through a lot together which has brought them even closer over the years and now they are like great friends. They laugh together, they play scrabble, binge on Netflix. Once a week they have an alcoholic tipple together and they enjoy going to Penarth to watch the sea together. Helen’s mum is in pain so Helen gives her massages.

One problem Helen laughed about is that her mum has very bad circulation in her legs and feet which means she is often very cold and likes a warm room. At 52, Helen is going through the menopause and finds the constant heat very difficult so is usually to be found in a t-shirt!

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