The Government has been urged to provide much more support to help carers to stay in work.

The Work and Pensions Select Committee has been told to carry out a cost benefit analysis for care vouchers and pilot the scheme to staff at the Department of Work and Pensions.

The committee also said that more needs to be done about carers' loss of income, with 60% of them being forced to leave work due to their care commitments.

The Campaign for Care Vouchers, which is campaigning for a single tax exempt care voucher, welcomed the committee's report.

Caroline Waters, director of people and policy at BT and chair of Employers for Carers, said: "The Government supports parents in work through tax-free childcare vouchers, but no such provision currently exists for carers despite the high cost of care services and a lack of support from many local authorities.

"I am delighted the committee has recognised the need for care vouchers, which businesses have been calling for some time. It is now vital that the Government seizes this opportunity to make working and caring a real choice for carers across the UK."