Weymouth Town Council Sustainable Communities Act Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance updated proposal and request for support.
Back in 2019, Weymouth Town Council (WTC), submitted a challenge to the government under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 regarding the inability of parish and town councils in England to use the Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance to assist in paying childcare and dependents' care expenses for councillors while they conduct council business such as council meetings. Currently, principal authorities have the right to make payments using this allowance as do parish and town councils in Wales. Earlier this year the government informed WTC it had decided not to take forward changes to right this inequality.
After consultation with NALC's Policy Committee, WTC has confirmed that it will be requesting re-submission of an amended Dependants’ Carers’ Allowance proposal to the government in the next few months. In September this year WTC formally agreed to appeal the government’s decision (from April 2026) that this right should not be granted to parish and town councils. WTC is currently surveying its residents and NALC have recently surveyed all councils. The results from the WTC survey will form part of the submission from Weymouth Town Council to NALC, with a view to NALC resubmitting the proposal by, or during, December 2026.
WTC and NALC are asking for help from local councils in Dorset in righting this inequality. They ask councils to write to their MPs to raise awareness of this issue ahead of it being submitted and to support the forthcoming appeal. Below is a letter template, in Word format, for use in writing to MPs.
If your parish or town council is interested in helping with this campaign more widely, please email WTC Town clerk at
