Petition · past parliament · Department for Work and Pensions

Allow people receiving State Pension to receive Carer's Allowance

Closed 339 signatures

What the petition asks

Unpaid Carers receive a Carer's Allowance of £67.60 per week, but when the Carer becomes a State Pensioner, this is taken away from them even if they continue to provide essential care to someone.
State Retirement Pension is treated as an overlapping benefit and therefore disentitles a person to Carers Allowance. This dates back to the Overlapping Benefit Regulations 1979.

This archaic regulation needs to be amended to remove Retirement Pension as an Overlapping Benefit or alternatively provide an amendment to allow Carer's Allowance to be paid irrespective of Retirement Pension.

Unpaid Carers save billions in social care provision and should not be penalised for caring in the community.

Timeline

9 Jun 2021 Petition opened for signatures
9 Dec 2021 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 339
Status Closed
Department Department for Work and Pensions
Opened 9 Jun 2021
Closed 9 Dec 2021

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.