Thank you for contacting me about Carer’s Allowance. Both the Government and I recognise and appreciate the vital role played by unpaid carers, and I understand that this is an extremely important issue for many carers. The primary purpose of Carer’s Allowance is to provide a measure of financial support for people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to care for a severely disabled person. It must be stressed that it is not a carer’s wage or payment for the services of caring, nor is it intended to replace lost or forgone earnings in their entirety.
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