Last week our Valuing Carers report was launched, shining a light on the financial contribution of unpaid carers. New findings from Carers UK and the University of Sheffield show that unpaid carers in England and Wales contribute a staggering £445 million to the economy in England and Wales every day – that’s £162 billion per year, equivalent to a second NHS in England and Wales, which in 2020/21 received an estimated £164 billion in funding. Read full report Unpaid care in England and Wales valued at £445 million per day | Carers UK
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Why are we UNPAID??? According to the 2014 Care Act we could and should be paid by Social Services via the Direct Payments scheme. It specfically says it’s up to the disabled person to choose who supports them “including friends and family”. The LA is supposed to have a light touch approach, not “fetter it’s discretion” (according to the LGO by being too descriptive about exactly when and where the care is provided.
someone is blocking this, somewhere in government.
CUK should urgently call for a change in the rules, so that those the disabled person wants to look after them most, their nearest and dearest, can afford to do so.
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BB - totally agree. Every time a report is published we read the same thing ‘value carers’ but that is as far as it ever goes - til the next report is published and the same thing happens again.
So come on CUK get the pressure on the Government - let’s hit them over the head with the latest report - we are just one year from a General Election so it is the perfect time to force political hands and get what we deserve and need.
It’s about time we made sure our voices are heard and CUK says it is here to do just that, so come on get cracking - get the Press Releases out to generate more interest in the media, bombard the Press with facts and figures so they have everything they need to write the stories WE want them to publish. Stories which put pressure on government to support those who give up everything and save the country BILLIONS of pounds every year by sacrificing of our selves and often our well-being for those we love. I never asked to be a Carer it was thrust on me. I could walk away, but that isn’t going to happen because I am held by LOVE. Love does not pay the bills or put food on the table or replace my lost sleep. It does not take away the feeling of guilt I have when I take a few hours for myself.
I will climb down off my soapbox for a short time now.
All the mechanism for Direct Payments is in place. We just need Directors of Social Services to stop breaking the rules, and get on and pay us what we should be getting already.