By politics.co.uk staff

Millions of people who care for ill relatives or friends are being let down by the government, a report has claimed.

The public accounts committee has attacked the benefits system which distributes money to carers and those being cared for as unnecessarily complicated.

Its latest report is critical of the way the inflexible system does not help carers who want to continue in part-time work.

“Carers who apply for benefits should not have to wade through official written guidance and communications which can range from the hard to understand to the downright incomprehensible,” PAC chairman Edward Leigh said.

“And they should not have to be jumping through unnecessary hoops to apply for benefits and allowances.”

There are an estimated six million unpaid carers in the United Kingdom looking after family or friends who are sick or disabled.

The “unnecessarily complex” benefits for carers cause about a fifth to experience problems with some aspects of the application process.