Carers have their day

‘Caring For Your Future’ is the theme for Carers Rights Day on 30th November.

Behind the event is national charity Carers UK, who are focusing on supporting people to prepare for the future. That’s because every day 6,000 people become carers – but often it’s not something they planned for.

GROWING MOVEMENT

Each year Carers Rights Day brings organisations together to help carers in their local community know their rights – and find out how to get support.

Supported by Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition and Specsavers, Carers Rights Day will see hundreds of organisations holding events to help carers in their community.

Caring is a growing movement. Carers UK say in the last decade, the number of people in Britain estimated to be caring for a sick or disabled partner, child or elderly relative, has gone up by at least a million, to 7.6 million.

Analysis by the Social Market Foundation says family carers are providing 149 million hours of care every week – equal to the work of four million full-time care workers. Research from the University of Leeds and Carers UK suggests informal carers are saving £132 billion a year that would otherwise be a cost to the NHS and Social Services.

Some carers have to give up working. Many struggle with poverty and social isolation, as well as their caring responsibilities. One in five have such financial problems, they even cut down on food. Yet an estimated £16.6 billion in benefits is unclaimed every year. Carers UK say four out of ten carers don’t know about such support, so don’t claim it.

HELPFUL ARTICLES

Carers UK have published a new edition of their guide Looking After Someone which outlines carers’ rights and gives an overview of support available. You can download it for free at – https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/get-resources/looking-after-someone. You can get a printed copy by calling their telephone helpline on 0808 808 7777.

Independent Living have a range of helpful articles for carers. These can be found at – https://www.independentliving.co.uk/advice/resources-for-carers.