To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has plans exempt young adult carers from the 21-hour study in relation to the carer’s allowance.

This Government recognises and values the vital contribution made by all carers, young or old in supporting some of the most vulnerable in society including pensioners and those with disabilities.

The Government thinks it is important that carers can maintain links with the education system and so carers are able to undertake part-time education and still receive Carer’s Allowance. However, there are no plans to change the current 21 hour study rule as we think it is right that people in full-time education should be supported by the educational maintenance system, via its range of loans and grants, rather than the social security benefit system. That is why, as a general principle, full-time students are usually precluded from entitlement to income-related and income-maintenance benefits. Many college courses are provided on the basis of 16 hours a week supervised study so we have been working with the Learning and Work Institute and colleges to increase awareness of the Carer’s Allowance study rules.