To ask the Minister for Communities for his assessment of Carers NI research showing that (i) 46 per cent of Carer’s Allowance recipients in Northern Ireland are living in poverty; and (ii) the rate of food bank use among Carer’s Allowance claimants in Northern Ireland is nearly twice as high as the general carer population.

I recognise the important role unpaid carers play within the wider community, as well as the vital support they provide to those who they are caring for. I am mindful of the particular challenges that this group faces, particularly in light of recent events including the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis.

Carer’s Allowance is the main benefit in the social security system targeted towards unpaid carers – its primary purpose is to provide a measure of financial support for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular and substantial care for a severely disabled person. It was never intended to be a wage for caring or to replace lost or forgone earnings in their entirety. As part of the annual benefits up-rating exercise the weekly rate of Carer’s Allowance was increased by 10.1% from April 2023 and will increase by a further 6.7% from April 2024.

Depending on individual circumstances carers on a low income may be able to access additional financial support through income-related benefits, such as Universal Credit, and their associated carer premiums/additions.

The Discretionary Support Scheme can offer help towards short-term living expenses or with the purchase of household items for those people in an extreme, exceptional or crisis situation. Depending on personal circumstances applicants could be offered either an interest-free loan or a non-repayable grant.

In addition, the Department’s Make the Call service can carry out an entitlement check to ensure a person is accessing all the benefits and services available to them. It can be contacted via Freephone number 0800 232 1271 or by emailing makethecall@dfcni.gov.uk.

I have noted the recommendations relating to additional support for carers that were made in the Independent Advisory Panel’s Report into the future of welfare mitigations that was published in October 2022.

The recommendations made in that report and any future mitigation package will need to be assessed in the climate of financial constraint and the requirement to ensure that budgets remain sustainable over the coming years.