Young carers are being forced to choose between receiving benefits and being in full-time education, charities are warning.
They say eligibility is too narrow for the carer’s allowance, which offers young carers £76.75 a week.
Currently this is only available to young carers over the age of 16 who study for no more than 21 hours a week, leaving those in full time education missing out. Also, many T level courses involve longer teaching hours.
The warning has been made by the Carers Trust and the Learning and Work Institute which say the ‘21 hour rule’ needs to be changed.
Too often young adult carers “are forced to choose between claiming carer’s allowance or being in education”, according to a policy briefing by the charities.
