Money Box

Nearly a million carers will get an increase of just 35p a week from April. 939,000 people receive a benefit called Carer’s Allowance — currently £67.25 a week — for looking after another person who is severely disabled. In order to qualify people must provide for at least 35 hours a week - though most will spend considerably more time caring than that. The April rise amounts to just 1p extra per hour. This increase is in line with the rate of inflation the previous September when inflation was just half of one percent. Paul Lewis talks to the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Sir Ed Davey, and Gareth Howells, Chief Executive of the charity, Carers Trust.After last week’s item about one family’s 20 hour wait to tell HSBC about a push payment fraud which cost listener Richard £8500, Money Box asked for your experiences getting help from your bank when a theft happens. Hundreds of you were in touch. Dan Whitworth reports on what you told him and Paul talks to Tom Keatinge who is Director of the Centre for Finan