The Government usually pays eligible carers a Christmas bonus worth an additional £10 in December.

Meanwhile, a petition calling on the Government to increase Carer’s Allowance in line with the National Minimum Wage of an 18-year-old now has more than 20,000 signatures.

Some 21, 183 people have signed a petition which claims the weekly £69.70 Carer’s Allowance payment works out at less than £2 per hour. 

Just 10,000 signatures are needed for the Government to respond.