Devon carer 'made homeless' after losing allowance

Alexis Board cared for her mother Fay for nine years

A Devon woman said she became homeless after the death of her mother and the abrupt discontinuation of her carer's allowance.

Alexis Board, 66, lost her rented accommodation when her mother died of cancer in 2023.

Alexis was supported by the charity Marie Curie which wants the government to look at extending carer's allowance for a period after the person who was being cared for has died.

A government spokesperson said: "We know carers need help and support to return to work, which is why there is a range of support available from the department, including skills training, career advice, job search help and access to the flexible support fund to aid job entry."

Alexis said carers needed on-going financial support after the death of the person they had cared for.

"When Mum died, I knew that I wouldn't be able to afford the rent, but I was caring for her full time and I wasn't in a position to do anything about it."

"I went to Universal Credit and they said I couldn't have anything for 8 weeks, because I was on carer's allowance. I was homeless.

"It would have been hard enough after all those years caring, but then to be homeless as well.

"I don't know how I've not gone under," she said.

The government said carers may be entitled to bereavement support payments which can be claimed within three months of the death of a partner they were caring for.

However, the cancer charity, Marie Curie, wants the government to fully review carer's allowances and consider extending financial support into bereavement.