South Tees Carers are in crisis with families facing financial devastation as the cost of living pushes more local families over the edge says a local charity supporting carers. Some Carers are fearing they are no longer able to keep loved ones warm, fed and safe anymore and considering putting them into care homes.
Today, 24 November, is Carers Rights Day and we are urging family members and friends looking after their loved ones to connect to support to prevent further crises.
Kelly Hodgson, project lead at We Care You Care explains why carers are disproportionately hit:
“The financial strains we are all facing are exacerbated when you are looking after family members, and/or, friends as your ability to earn an income is limited and you are unable to cut back on essential expenditure without potentially compromising the safety of the person you are caring for.”
Jo Cole, Advocate at Neuro Key and member of the Forum has been actively campaigning to raise awareness of the reality carers are facing and states; “Despite a decade of political promises, the widening gaps in social care continue to be propped up by unpaid carers. There is poor understanding of how carers manage their own day-to-day lives let alone manage a dwindling budget.”
Carers Allowance is the benefit designed to support carers on low income providing 35 hours of care or more. The benefit is just £69.70 equating roughly £1.99 per hour. It was announced in the Autumn Statement that this will rise by 10.1% however given the rise in prices of essential items such as energy bills and food, carers will continue to struggle to make ends meet.
A local unpaid carer shared the following that many local carers can relate to;
“I care for my terminally ill dad who needs a considerable amount of support each day. He is at home with some paid support, but the support does not cover the cost of the mounting bills which I am concerned about. He has been given a hospital bed which needs to be plugged into the electric 24/7, he is incontinent so, the washer and tumble dryer are on at least three times a day and he has his TV and heating on nearly all the time, so he is comfortable for what time he has left. The utility bills are very scary but there is nothing I can do at all. I may have to take out a loan or make some sort of repayment plan for these bills as I have my own bills to cover, it’s just never-ending stress and worry.”
Carers Together provides a range of information and support services to unpaid carers aged over 18 across South Tees. Lee O Brien CEO said:
“Many carers across South Tees are now facing very difficult decisions about how they provide care. We have had discussions with carers who now feel that the person they care for would be ‘better off’ in residential/nursing care as they would be warm and safe. Some Carers are no longer able to guarantee that they can keep loved ones warm, fed and safe anymore.
“Many of the financial packages of support from the government are not relevant to carers so once again carers are feeling the full impact in the increased cost of living. Schemes such as warm banks are also difficult for carers to access because they are unable to transport the person they care for to these venues.”
The Junction runs a yearly Christmas Campaign usually focussed on toys and gifts for young carers, however this year is looking at giving essential supplies.
“This year the campaign will focus more widely on responding to the disproportionate pressures on young carer families with inclusion of essential supplies such as food, items to stay warm and hygiene poverty provision for families who are really struggling throughout this difficult time" says Beth Major, CEO of The Junction.
We Care You Care provides a central platform of information for local carers with signposting to the wide range of local services. The project is hosted by MVDA (Middlesbrough Voluntary Development Agency), funded by Middlesbrough Council and Redcar & Cleveland Council. The project works in partnership with carers services including Carers Together, The Junction, Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind and Redcar and Cleveland Mind to deliver all age carers provision. With support of the South Tees Carers Forum they are urging carers to connect to support to prevent further crises.
If you are looking after a loved one and are struggling with your financial, mental, or physical well-being please ask for help. You can find details of the wide range of local services that can support you here or call Carers Together on 01642 488977, young carers and young adult carers can contact The Junction on 01642 756000.
