Young carers are being pushed away from enlisting on the government’s “gold standard” T Levels due to strict rules that would cut off their access to benefits.
College principals, experts, and MPs have warned that young carers are choosing shorter courses or dropping out of education altogether to prioritise their caring duties and claim their carer’s allowance, which pays out £76.75 a week if they care for someone for at least 35 hours a week.
Benefits rules stipulate that carers will not be able to claim carer’s allowance if they study for 21 hours or more each week and cannot be in full-time education, even if they meet all the other criteria. T Level students typically study for more than 21 hours a week.
College leaders have called for an urgent review of the carer’s allowance eligibility rules in the context of the cost-of-living crisis.
