The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has today made an emergency financial statement, reversing almost all tax cuts announced by previous Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng.

He announced that the cap which would limit the average household energy bill to £2,500 will stop from April, with a Treasury-led review into further support due next year. He confirmed that the Health and Social Care levy is still being reversed.

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of Carers UK, said:

“Now that the Chancellor has announced measures to help stabilise the markets, he needs to urgently turn his attention to supporting those most in need over the winter.

“Unpaid carers supporting older and disabled people – the majority of them caring round the clock - are being pushed into poverty trying to manage the costs of essentials, getting into debt with no choice but to cut back on food and heating and turning to foodbanks for help. Struggling from month to month, they are terrified about how they are going to manage this winter.

“Unpaid carers are particularly vulnerable to rising costs due to their limited ability to earn an income, and they have extra costs to meet that they cannot cut back on. The new Chancellor must do the right thing and ensure Carer’s Allowance and its associated premia are uprated in line with inflation at the earliest opportunity.

“Carers UK also wants to see carers with an entitlement to Carer’s Allowance given a top up payment to support them through a difficult winter.

“The Government’s review into energy support must consider unpaid carers and ensure they are protected them from any catastrophic energy price rises after April 2023. As Jeremy Hunt will know from his previous roles as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, these systems would simply collapse without unpaid carers, so it is vital that they are adequately supported.”