12/08/2026
UNISON is encouraging all disabled members, carers, activists, and branches to take part in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Carer’s Allowance Call for Evidence, which is open until 18 August 2026.
The consultation is seeking views on how Carer’s Allowance can be modernised, including the earnings rules, earnings limit and proposals for a more flexible system that better reflects the realities of combining work and caring responsibilities.
This is an important opportunity for UNISON members to influence future policy. Many disabled people are carers themselves, rely on care from family members, or are affected by the financial pressures and barriers faced by carers. Changes to Carer’s Allowance have the potential to impact thousands of UNISON members and their families. Ensuring that the voices of disabled people and carers are heard is therefore vital.
We know that unpaid carers make a huge contribution to society, often balancing caring responsibilities alongside work, family life, and their own health conditions or impairments. This consultation provides an opportunity to highlight the challenges carers face and to press for a fairer, more accessible, and more effective support system.
The consultation can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/carers-allowance-call-for-evidence
Please help us ensure that the experiences of disabled people, carers and trade union members are represented in this important review.
