MPs to debate support for unpaid carers

Following the petition “Pay Carers an allowance equivalent to a full-time job at the National Living wage”, MPs will debate support for unpaid carers and Carers Week 2021 on Thursday 22 July in Westminster Hall.

This will be a general debate led by Ed Davey MP and Wera Hobhouse MP. General debates allow MPs to debate important issues, however they do not end in a vote nor can they change the law.

The debate will start at around 3.15pm and you will be able to watch the debate here.

You’ll be able to read a transcript of the debate a few hours after it happens, which will be available here.

Since the petition ended, the government responded, “We value the support unpaid carers give to caring for family or friends. We will spend around £3bn in 2020-21 on Carer’s Allowance, and by 2024-25, forecast real spend is over £3.6bn.

The Government fully recognises the contribution that unpaid and family carers make in providing significant care and continuity of support to family and friends That is why in June 2018, the Department of Health and Social Care published a Carers Action Plan ‘Supporting carers today’, which set out a two-year programme of targeted work to support unpaid carers. It focuses on practical actions that are being undertaken to support carers, working across and beyond government.”

The full response is available here.