The statement below is from the latest Department for Work and Pensions Touchbase Newsletter, just received by Rescare. This may be of interest to those receiving or intending to claim Carer’s Allowance. Entitlements to Carer’s Allowance was amended in the Care Act 2014 – details here – or see other recent news and blog items on this website. Non-digital services will still be available to applicants/recipient; but the provision of another digital service reflects an accelating trend with government’s service provision.
Carers satisfied with new digital service
DWP has launched a digital online application system for Carer’s Allowance claimants, in partnership with the Government Digital Service.
The new online Carer’s Allowance application system means that busy carers can now apply for Carers Allowance, which is for people who are looking after someone with substantial caring needs, at a time that suits them best.
One of the many improvements for the 240,000 carers, who claim the allowance each year, is a new way of verifying that the person they care for understands the claim. This removes the need for them to sign a paper declaration.
The new service has been tested and improved with real users and more than 125,000 digital claims have been made since trials began in October 2013, with a user satisfaction rate of 90 percent.
The service works on any device and in the trials more than a third of digital claims were made via a tablet or mobile phone.
DWP, Touchbase, December 2014