Benefit for Guernsey carers to increase by 10%

Wayne Le Sauvage cares for his eight-year-old son

The benefit paid to people caring for those with a disability is set to go up by just under £10 next year.

Proposals to increase long-term carers allowance by 15% or 25% were voted down by politicians.

Deputy St Pier said the lack of action until now on carers allowance "is embarrassing and insulting" to carers.

The weekly income limit on income support claims has also been scrapped by politicians.

Guernsey's Committee for Employment and Social Security was successful with its proposed increase to carers allowance of 10% from £91.90 to £101.09.

Committee President Peter Roffey said "he would like to see carers allowance as high as the States can afford" but there has to be "some realism" on how much the government can pay.

Deputy Lester Queripel said increasing carers allowance by more than 10% would have given carers "a bit of hope" and "lift their spirits."

Wayne Le Sauvage, who cares for his eight-year-old son Alex, said: "Since I've become a carer I can't work."

He was hoping for the 25% increase in the carers allowance, proposed by Deputy St Pier.

"People don't understand being a carer for their children is hard work. I'm not the only one, hundreds of people in that situation would have a better life, not panicking about food being on the table."

"The price of everything is going through the roof."

Analysis by BBC Guernsey Political Reporter John Fernandez

After a budget debate where politicians were told again and again, the States had no more money to spend, proposals for a 25% increase in carers allowance costing the States half a million pounds, were always going leave States members torn.

Everyone standing to speak on this said they valued the contribution of carers and wanted to help them more.

But this discussion illustrated the dilemma for States members which they will have to tackle in the next few months when tax proposals come forward.

Good intentions are one thing, but delivering a way of paying for those is another one altogether

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