Brooke welcomes pensions success for carers

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Apr 2007

Under Lib Dem pressure the Government has agreed to provide carers with a state pension

Annette Brooke, MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, has welcomed the success of a Liberal Democrat campaign to provide carers with a state pension.

The Government decided to accept the Liberal Democrat amendment to the Pensions Bill, which is currently going through Parliament. The amendment will ensure that 40,000 more carers get the basic state pension, including an estimated 60 carers in the Mid Dorset and North Poole constituency.

Annette Brooke said,

"I have attended several carers' events in Poole and am particularly pleased that individuals will finally be receiving recognition for their huge contribution.

"I am delighted that the Government has conceded that their pension plans prevented many carers from building an entitlement to the basic state pension and that they will take steps to put this right.

"Under the new proposals, agreed to by the Government, 40,000 more carers, who would have been unable to build up entitlement, will be credited with National Insurance Contributions and therefore will be eligible for a full state pension, including dozens here in Mid Dorset and North Poole.

"I am pleased that the Liberal Democrats, working with groups including Carers UK, the Equal Opportunities Commission, Age Concern and Help the Aged, as well as MPs from other parties, have been able to achieve this valuable improvement to our pension system."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Further information on the amendment, which was originally proposed by Lorely Burt MP, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Women and Equality, is available on the Carers UK website (http://tinyurl.com/yq67x4) and on the Liberal Democrat website (http://tinyurl.com/2xuh6l).