§ Mr. DunnachieTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment his Department has made of the situation of carers of pensionable age who did not initially qualify for invalid care allowance on age grounds and therefore do not now qualify for the carers premium.; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ScottInvalid care allowance is an income maintenance benefit for those who have to forgo the opportunity of full-time employment because they spend at least 35 hours per week caring for a severely disabled person who receives attendance allowance or constant attendance allowance. Although entitlement to invalid care allowance established before pension age may be carried forward after age 60–65, it would in general be true that those over retirement age are not forgoing full-time employment. We are nevertheless keeping the situation of carers under consideration. We have already announced the increase of the earnings limit for invalid care allowance recipients from £20 to £30 with effect from April 1991 which we expect will help 5,000 carers. We introduced the carer premium from October in the income-related benefits—income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit—which we expect will assist a further 30,000 claimants, many of whom did not qualify for any premium before its introduction. In common with others on income-related benefits, people who start caring after reaching pensionable age have access to one of the three pensioner premiums. We are extending the carer premium from October next year so that it can be paid for up to eight weeks after caring ceases.