There have been several updates on unpaid care over the last few weeks, with new research highlighting the pressures many carers face and new announcements from the Government. Here’s a quick summary:
1,500 people a day are leaving work to care
New research from Carers UK highlighted the growing impact that unpaid caring can have on people’s working lives. An estimated 1.1 million people have left employment to care for an older, disabled or seriously ill relative or friend in the last two years, equivalent to more than 1,500 people every day. The research also found that one in five UK employees now has a caring responsibility. Carers UK is calling for greater support to help people remain in work alongside caring, including a statutory right to paid Carer’s Leave.
Work is currently underway in South Tees to develop a Carer Friendly Workplace Quality Mark for employers and organisations. The quality mark is designed to support people who are balancing work and caring responsibilities. More on this coming soon....
New Carers’ Champion announced
The Government announced the appointment of a dedicated Carers’ Champion, with the aim of ensuring that the voices of unpaid carers are heard within Government. This followed the Prime Minister’s plans for a new National Care Service.
New findings highlight the pressures facing carers
In September, the Department of Health and Social Care published the findings of its Survey of Adult Carers in England, providing a picture of the experiences of more than 43,000 unpaid carers who took part in the survey.
The findings show that many carers continue to struggle to look after their own health and wellbeing. Just under half of carers said they were able to look after themselves by getting enough sleep or eating well, while around a quarter said they had developed their own health conditions as a result of their caring role.
Commenting on the results of the survey, Helen Walker, Chief Executive at Carers UK, said:
“Sadly, unpaid carers are under huge pressure and still not receiving the level of support they need to look after others and themselves. More than a third of carers represented in this survey provide over 100 hours of care each week – a substantial commitment and responsibility, often undertaken with little recognition or respite.”
Support for unpaid carers to be debated in Parliament
Finally, a Westminster Hall debate on support for unpaid carers is due to take place on 15 October. The debate will provide an opportunity for MPs to discuss the challenges faced by unpaid carers and the support available to them.
All of these announcements reinforce how caring is something that touches many people’s lives. People care for family members, partners, friends and neighbours, often without choosing or planning to take on a caring role. This highlights the importance of making sure unpaid carers have the support they need to protect their health and wellbeing, stay in work where they want to, manage financially and continue to live the lives they want alongside caring.
Find out more about support for unpaid carers across South Tees here
