Council supports Lib Dem proposal for extra allowance for unpaid carers

Warrington Council has given unanimous support to our call for an increase of £20 a week in the allowance for unpaid carers.

The Labour group had put forward a Motion at the full Council Meeting asking Warrington's MPs to demand that the Government provide more realistic funding to avoid a 'catastrophe for social care'. Labour accepted an amendment put forward by the Liberal Democrat group asking for support for unpaid carers too.

Judith Wheeler, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Appleton, said:

There are an estimated 900,000 full-time carers in this country. Some are young, some elderly, and many of working age who give up work to care for friends and relatives. They do a remarkable and important job in very difficult circumstances, facing challenges and struggles on a daily basis. Life has got harder for many during the pandemic as day centres have been shut and respite care curtailed. Many carers have been unable to take a break even for brief periods.

Carers need to look after their own mental and physical health to stay strong for their loved ones. Many are now exhausted and are worried how they will cope over the winter. If this was not hard enough, many carers face extreme financial hardship. They rely on a Carer's Allowance of only £67.25 a week.

We want both Warrington MPs to request that the government raises the Carer's Allowance by £1000 year, the same as the uplift for Universal Credit. We must do far more to support our wonderful carers.

Peter Walker, Liberal Democrat Councillor for Stockton Heath, added:

We were very pleased that the Labour group took our amendment on board. This call for a £1000 boost is dear to the heart of our national leader Ed Davey who was an unpaid carer for his mother when he was younger. It is estimated there are about 4000 carers in Warrington who would benefit from such an increase. Without unpaid carers, we would have to spend far more on professional domiciliary and residential care.