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Unpaid carers who have yet to receive a £500 payment from the Welsh Government are now able to apply for it.

The registration period for the payment reopened on Monday, August 15, and will close on September 2.

It gives unpaid carers who were receiving carer’s allowance on March 31 this year one final chance to apply for the support.

The Welsh Government has confirmed there is no change to the eligibility criteria, with applicants needing to contact their local authority to register.

The payment was introduced to help carers with the rising cost of caring.

In a written statement sent to Senedd Members, Julie Morgan MS, who is Wales’ Deputy Minister for Social Services, said: “The latest data on take up of the payment shows that as of July 22, over 70% of eligible unpaid carers had successfully registered for the payment and 65% had already been paid.

“This figure is likely to be higher given the number of claims yet to be processed by local authorities.”

Mrs Morgan added: “I am aware that some unpaid carers missed the deadline or did not realise that they are required to contact their local authority to register for the payment. I hope that reopening the registration period will allow more unpaid carers who were in receipt of Carers Allowance on March 31 to benefit from this payment.”