James Purnell meets Usdaw over help for working carers

Usdaw General Secretary, John Hannett, met with James Purnell, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to discuss help for working carers. The meeting took place in Westminster during National Carers’ Week (9-15 June).

John Hannett called on the Government to raise Carers’ Allowance and extend it to people who earn up to £250 a week, rather than the current earnings limit of £95 a week.

The meeting was followed by an Usdaw-run meeting for MPs, where two Usdaw members who are working carers told over 30 MPs their personal stories. The carers called on the Government for increased understanding and financial support.

John Hannett said:

“The Government is obviously listening to our campaigning for better lives for working carers. On Tuesday we welcomed the Carers’ Strategy review. Today, Ministers and MPs have spent time listening to how this review affects real people - people who face the daily struggle of juggling a working life with caring responsibilities.

“We will continue to press the case to the Government that carers need a much improved allowance and the threshold raised, so that they can work whilst caring and not be penalised by the system. We will press for this proposal to be given priority in the next Comprehensive Spending Review.”

Notes to Editors:

• Contacts for newsdesks: Usdaw’s Media Officer, Cherry Hamilton, can be contacted on 0161 249 2469 or e-mail cherry.hamilton@usdaw.org.uk
• Usdaw (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is the UK’s fourth biggest trade union, with over 359,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemicals and other trades.
• More information and news releases are available at our online Newsroom.
• Subscribe/unsubscribe to Usdaw news releases via our online e-news service at: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/site/email.html

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