Nearly three million UK carers are missing out on saving £2,262 a year on food shopping, petrol and holidays. As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, the need for financial support is at an all-time high and could prove vital for carers who are feeling the squeeze.
In the UK, one in five people are carers, yet only 250,000 carers are making use of the Discounts for Carers platform, according to CarersUK.
With bills on the rise, many vulnerable people may be looking for ways to make their cash stretch further.
Despite carers being entitled to major savings, discount providers are only seeing 17,000 registrations a month.
Discounts for Carers, in partnership with Sodexo Engage, has calculated that 2.8 million UK carers are missing out as they aren’t aware.
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Carers are urged to get access to vital financial help during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis through their platform.
Some 12,000 people a day become carers, however, thousands are still missing out on vital savings and discounts – from shopping and travel, to finance and broadband.
Discounts for Carers members get exclusive access to the ODE Cashback Card, provided by Sodexo Engage, with the top users earning on average £269.68 cashback (highest £730.40 – lowest £188.89), cashback that could make an incredible difference to UK carers.
83 percent of carers are worried/extremely worried about how they’ll manage their monthly expenses if costs continue to increase, and almost half (45 percent) are relying on their savings.
Despite Government efforts to provide financial help, cashback and discount schemes for carers can be easily adopted and can have a transformative effect on their finances.
Storm Postlethwaite, managing director at discounts for carers said: “Carers in the UK can often overlook themselves as being entitled to financial support.
“Our research shows that carers are already quite cost-savvy, and always opt for value for money, so the amount of unused benefits can only be down to not knowing it’s out there.
“It’s clear there is a huge disconnect between what is on offer to UK carers, and what’s currently being used, and we aim to bridge this gap. With less time worrying about expenses and having to juggle costs, carers will be better able to focus on providing support.”
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Around six percent of the UK population are thought to be providing ‘informal care’, which means they aren’t being paid for it.
Any unpaid carers are always encouraged to seek help from the Government if they need financial support.
Who is eligible for Carer’s Allowance?
People who provide at least 35 hours of care for a person, per week, could currently be paid up to £3,624 a year through Carer’s Allowance – and this rate is expected to rise by 10.1 percent in April.
Claimants must be 16 or over and this help can include:
- Support with washing and cooking
- Taking the person being cared for to doctor’s appointments
- Support with household tasks, like managing bills and shopping
The person being cared for must also receive the following means-tested benefits:
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP) – daily living component
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA) – the middle or highest care rate
- Attendance Allowance
- Constant Attendance Allowance at or above the normal maximum rate with an Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- Constant Attendance Allowance at the basic (full day) rate with a War Disablement Pension
- Armed Forces Independence Payment
- Child Disability Payment – the middle or highest care rate
- Adult Disability Payment – daily living component.
The claimant must have been in England, Scotland or Wales for at least two of the last three years, must not be in full-time education, and cannot be studying for 21 hours a week or more.
They have to also be living in England, Scotland or Wales and earn £132 or less a week after tax, National Insurance, and expenses.
It should be noted that this is a taxable payment and can affect other benefits claimants might already be receiving.
