Half a million unpaid carers in UK not claiming £4,200 a year benefit

Campaigners say underclaiming is a result of restrictions on taking on paid work and harsh penalties for accidental rule breaches

As many as half a million unpaid carers in the UK who look after frail, ill and disabled loved ones are failing to claim the 4,200-a-year carer's allowance despite experiencing high levels of poverty, according to new estimates.

Campaigners said unpaid carers may have not claimed the benefit partly because of the strict limits dictating the amount of paid work they can undertake on top of their care duties, and the harsh penalties they face if they breach those rules.