A survey of more than 250 'family and friends' carers, most of whom are grandparents, revealed concerns that Government cuts will undermine their ability to care for their grandchildren, causing more children to go into care and at a greater cost to taxpayers.
Changes that will affect such carers include cuts in housing benefit, a cap of £26,000 on the total amount of benefit any household can claim, moving people off incapacity benefit to Jobseeker's Allowance, and plans to abolish council tax benefit in 2013.
According to Grandparents Plus, if the 300,000 children who are looked after by 'family and friends' carers were in the care system, it would cost an estimated £12 billion a year.
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