An online campaign that has already amassed over 3,500 signatures is calling on the UK Government to increase the Carer's Allowance to match the National Minimum Wage of £11.44 per hour. This would equate to a weekly payment of £400.40 or £1,601.60 every four weeks.

Currently, the allowance is set at £81.90 per week (£327.60 per pay period) for individuals who provide 35 hours of unpaid care. This rate is slated to rise by a modest 1.7% to £83.30 (£333.20 per pay period) from April.

Emma Roberts, the initiator of the petition, highlights that Carer's Allowance effectively amounts to around £2.34 an hour and is taxable and "counted as income for other benefits like Universal Credit". As announced in the Autumn Budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in October, the earnings threshold for unpaid carers will be raised from £151 to £196 starting April 7, reflecting 16 hours worked at the National Minimum Wage.

This increase in the earnings limit will allow recipients of Carer's Allowance to earn more than £10,000 during the 2025/26 fiscal year. The 'Increase Carer's Allowance to equal minimum wage' petition can be signed on the petitions-parliament website.

If it reaches 10,000 signatures, the UK Government is required to respond in writing, while 100,000 signatures could trigger a debate in Parliament by the Petitions Committee, according to the Daily Record.

A petition has thrown a spotlight on the stark discrepancy between Carer's Allowance and the National Minimum Wage, highlighting that carers earn a mere fraction of what is considered acceptable for other types of work.

The petition says: "Carer's Allowance is currently £327.60 every four weeks for people who care for someone for at least 35 hours per week. Around £2.34 per hour."

Additionally, it notes: "The National Minimum Wage for people over 21 is £11.44 per hour which would be around £400 per week. Carers Allowance is a taxable benefit and is counted as income for other benefits like Universal Credit."

The appeal also references a revealing study: "A recent study has shown that unpaid carers in England and Wales contribute £445 million to the economy every day - that's £162 billion per year. The study says that the value of unpaid care is equivalent to a second NHS in England and Wales. Despite this, carers receive Carers Allowance which amounts to £4,258.80 per year. Because it is taxable, it is effectively treated as a wage when claiming other benefits, which many carers have to do to survive."

For those wishing to delve deeper, the full petition can be