Income protection provider British Friendly has today (5 September) announced the launched a care assistance benefit, a discretionary benefit for both new and existing members.
It constitutes the second inclusive benefit British Friendly has launched in 2016, following the addition of a six-month death benefit earlier in the year.
British Friendly will pay a flat amount of £125 a week in care assistance benefit when the partner or child, up to the age of 18, of a member needs full-time care of 35 hours or more a week for a continuous period of four weeks.
When a claim is paid, it will be backdated to day one and paid for a maximum of 26 weeks over the life of the policy.
Clients do not need to give up work to claim, because at no point is state benefit assessment needed.
British Friendly stated claims will be paid upon confirmation from a medical professional that full-time care is required so there is no activities of daily living assessment required.
According to the National Health Service, 40 per cent of carers look after a partner, spouse or child and 60 per cent of working carers have to use annual or sick leave to care for a loved one while state carers allowance only provides £62.10 per week in benefit.
Iain Clark, distribution and marketing director at British Friendly, said: “We saw the opportunity to offer a new and improved version of carer’s cover where you do not need to give up work or be subjected to an activities of daily living assessment to claim.
“Importantly we are offering this benefit to all our members aged between 18 to 60, not just new members. Existing clients will have care assistance benefit added to their policies automatically at no extra cost, and we will notify them of the new benefit.”
Emma Thomson, chair of the Protection Distributors Group, said: “It is fantastic to see another insurer addressing the need for carer’s cover, providing financial assistance to those who have partners or children requiring full time care.
“British Friendly has designed a benefit that will provide valuable monetary support during what will inevitably be a difficult time, giving families financial breathing space whilst they work out a longer term solution.”
ruth.gillbe@ft.com
