Unpaid UK carers 4.5% worse off as cost of living erodes benefits value

Warnings of cost-of-caring crisis as state allowance is cut by 170 a year in real terms

Unpaid carers face a real-terms cut of 4.5% in their weekly allowance, amid continued warnings about a major erosion in the value of state benefits.

The decision not to make an emergency increase in benefits in response to ballooning inflation has this month seen some benefits fall by the largest amount in 50 years. It comes after chancellor Rishi Sunak resisted calls to increase welfare payments in his spring statement to help address the rising cost of living.