The Government is in the process of making the biggest changes to the benefits system for decades. This is bringing a great deal of uncertainty and fear for families affected by illness and disability who depend on benefits for their everyday living costs. To try and explain, in plain English,…

This briefing gives a summary of the separate and cumulative effects of welfare reform on carers. 

A restriction is being introduced on the number of rooms in a socially rented home which will be covered by Housing Benefit. The new size criteria could have a major impact on certain groups of carers and some families may be unable to cover the shortfall putting them at risk…

This briefing gives a summary of amendments proposed by a range of carer organisations and the outcome of the final Stage 3 debate on the Bill.  The Bill as passed will include a range of elements to support carers including: regulations to ensure that carers cannot be charged for services…

This briefing paper for carers provides further information about Scottish Government proposals for the integration of health and social care for adults.  It also provides key questions for consideration and details of how to respond to the full consultation.  This briefing paper has been produced in partnership with the Coalition…

Carers UK briefing for the House of Lords Grand Committee stage of the Welfare Reform Bill. The briefing focusses on three key areas which Carers UK has worked with Peers on amendments for: the inclusion of Carer's Allowance in the proposed benefit cap, the reduction in an earnings disregard for…

The House of Lords will debate the Welfare Reform Bill in Autumn 2011. The Bill sets out Government plans to replace most working-age benefits with a new Universal Credit and replace Disability Living Allowance with Personal Independence Payment. This briefing sets out the major issues for carers arising from these…

Scotland’s new Carers Strategies were launched on 26 July 2010 and outline support for carers and young carers in Scotland over the next 5 years. These Strategies were developed by the Scottish Government in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA), the NHS, voluntary and carers organisations. Carers…

Carers UK has put together the a list of frequently asked questions to explain what the Government’s plans for reforming the benefits system will mean for carers and disabled people. The Government have not announced some of the details – so we still do not have answers to some important questions.…

In December 2010 the UK government launched a consultation on replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with a Personal Independence Payment (PIP). This briefing examines the implications of these plans. Carers UK accepts that DLA is an imperfect and overly complex benefit which causes a great deal of frustration and stress…