Carers UK have welcomed the government's decision to drop plans of moving carers off income support pending a longer-term review.

Though carers would not have been required to seek work, unlike other JSA claimants, Carers UK said many felt it was insulting and misleading to be placed on JSA given they were not unemployed.

Instead, the white paper said the government would not attempt to move carers off income support until it had a “clear and detailed plan”.

In this year's carers strategy, ministers pencilled in a review of the benefits system for 2011 onwards.

But the chief executive of Carers UK doesn't think this is good enough saying... ‘We cannot wait for government reforms to welfare and social care to be completed before tackling carers’ benefits. Three-quarters of carers are struggling to pay essential bills and more than half are in debt. Many want to work but can’t because of a lack of flexible and affordable care services.’