State of Caring 2023 Survey research report

Carers UK news and campaigns
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Today we have released new research from our State of Caring 2023 survey – our finance report sheds light on the financial situation of unpaid carers. Thank you to all who responded for your time and sharing your views.
https://www.carersuk.org/reports/state-of-caring-survey-2023-the-impact-of-caring-on-finances/

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Thanks for this: good report. Two things, however:

  1. “Caring over 15 years” is too short an upper limit. I’ve worked with carers who have cared for upwards of 60 years. Now, at the age of 65, I can say the same - having started out as a young carer. The impact is considerable.

  2. Carers’ Allowance started out as a benefit solely for unmarried women who cared for elderly parents. The amount was set as the dependent’s rate of the contributory benefits of the day - in other words, for single women to be treated the same way, financially, as married dependent women. To describe this as sexism that has been perpetuated by the government throughout the history of CA and it’s predecessor benefits would not be amiss. Especially as even now Carers Allowance is paid to significantly more women than men.

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I’m not sure exactly when I first became a carer. Probably from the age of 8 years old, 55 years ago, when my younger brother was born. He called me his “second mummy”. Certainly full time from the age of 27 when M was born, no holiday or time off until he was about 17 and went into boarding school, my health wrecked forever. If we do the work we should get the pay, regardless of what else we do, what age or sex we are. If we work as a carer, at home, we should get paid the equivalent of the Minimum Wage, time off, holiday pay etc. This was my motion at the CUK AGM in 2004.

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Thank you. The report looks good too.

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Would have liked to have read this but the link is not working, (404 - File or Directory Not Found), is there any possibility of reposting it please? Thank you.

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It’s such a shame @bowlingbun that 19 years on and nothing much has changed, Carers still don’t have parity with minium-wage workers!

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Sorry to hear that the link wasn’t working - I’ve just added a new link and hope you’ll now be able to read the report

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The link is now working. Thank you.

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