under Labour plans to increase Carer's Allowance by 17 per cent
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Hundreds of thousands of carers will get a pay rise under plans announced by Jeremy Corbyn tomorrow.
Labour will pledge to raise the Carer’s Allowance from £62.70 a week to £73.1 - the same level as Job Seeker’s Allowance.
The 17% increase will benefit nearly 800,000 “unsung heroes” who care for the elderly, sick and disabled.
By 2020-21 the number receiving the allowance is forecast to increase to 1.2million.
Mr Corbyn says increasing the amount will cost £538million by the end of the decade and will be paid for by scrapping the Tories inheritance tax cuts which will be worth £640million by 2020-21.
The announcement comes as Mr Corbyn faces a tough round of local elections on May 4 with polls showing the Tories have 21 point lead over Labour.
A YouGov survey put the Conservatives on 44% with Labour 23% - the biggest lead for a party in power since 1983.
Asked who would be the best Prime Minister 50% said Theresa May, 14% Mr Corbyn and 36% answered don’t know.
A ComRes/Daily Mirror poll, published on Sunday also showed a 21-point gap, with the Tories on 46% and Labour on 25%.
There are fears Labour could lose at least 50 council seats in the elections, reversing the trend of opposition parties gaining ground during the mid term of Parliament.
In a speech in Birmingham, Mr Corbyn will say: “Britain’s social care crisis was made in Downing Street by cutting £4.6bn from council care budgets. Millions of unpaid carers have been forced to fill the gap and put under even greater pressure as a result.
“The care they give to the disabled, sick and elderly saves taxpayers £132billion a year. So we believe these unsung, unpaid heroes not only deserve our praise and recognition - they deserve better financial support.
(Photo: Getty)
“That’s why Labour is convinced it’s both morally and economically right to give the Carer’s Allowance a boost of £10 a week.
“We also think it’s only fair that this extra support for carers is funded by scrapping the Tory cut on inheritance tax, which will only benefit the wealthiest people in Britain.
“This will be the first step in helping to transform our social care system for the 21st century and boosting support for family carers.”
Shadow care minister Barbara Keeley MP will add: “Unpaid carers play a vital role in our society and that role is too often ignored. There are an estimated 6.5million unpaid carers in Britain providing care, and support for family members and friends.
“Our health and care system would not manage without the care that they provide. Without them, millions of people would have to manage without any support at all.
“Labour believes that we should find ways to improve support to people who themselves give so much unpaid support to family members and friends.
“This small increment, funded by reversing a Tory tax cut for the rich, is the first step on the road to creating a care and support system fit for all those who need it. It will go some way to alleviate the financial burden that many family carers experience.”