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On 8 September 2009, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee published a report which concludes that Britain's six million unpaid carers (who look after relatives or dependents) are missing out on crucial benefits because of overly complex rules.
The report reveals that carers claim only £2bn in benefits while their work saves the Treasury an estimated £23bn a year in health bills. Similarly a fifth of carers who receive benefits say they find the process of claiming difficult.
There are currently around six million unpaid carers in the UK, looking after sick or disabled family members and friends. Their only form of support comes from the Department for Work and Pensions through the carers' benefit scheme and through employment support. The Public Accounts Committee criticises the department for making carers "jump through hoops" to apply for benefits and allowances, insisting that the benefits system for carers is "unnecessarily complex" and confusing. The report recommends that arrangements are simplified to make it easier for carers to be referred to the correct service providers for set benefits at a local level.
Jobcentre Plus staff are also criticised for failing to understand the specific needs of carers. For instance, the report finds that carers who wish to combine caring responsibilities with paid work are not receiving sufficiently tailored support to meet their particular requirements, such as help with finding part-time work.